A  *?•  *:/4- 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

DIVISION   OF  CHEMISTB1E 

IS. 

— --— 


BULLETIN 


EECOED  OF  EXPERIMENTS 


AT 


FORT  SCOTT,  KANSAS, 


IN 


THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  SUGAR 


SORGHUM  AND  SUGAR-CANES, 


IX 


18  8  6. 


PI.    YV.    W  I  LEi, 

CHKMIST. 


WASHING T  O N  : 

GtOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFF  I  OB, 
L  8  8  7 . 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

DIVISION   OF  CHEMISTRY. 
BULLETIN  No.  14. 


RECORD  OF  EXPEKBIENTS 


AT 


FORT  SCOTT,  KANSAS. 


IN 


THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  SUGAR 


FROM 


SORGHUM  AND  SUGAR-CANES, 


18  8  6 


H.  A\r.   WILEY, 

cm:. mist. 


WASH  I  XC.TON: 

GtOYEBNMENI    PRINTING   oil- ICE. 

L  8  8  7 , 

L1330— No,  ll 


United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Division  of  Chemistry, 
Washington,  />.  ('..  December  21,  1886. 
Sir:  I  beg  leave  to  submit  herewith  a  report  of  the  work  done  at 
Fort  Scott  during  the  present  year  under  authority  of  Congress  in  ••  Bx- 
periments  in  the  manufacture  of  sugar  from  sorghum  and  sugar-cane 
by  the  processes  of  carbonatatiOD  and  saturation." 

The  conduct  of  this  work  yon  placed  in  my  hands,  and  throughout 
the  whole  of  it  I  have  had  your  earnest  support. 

The  results  of  the  work  are  now  presented  foryour  inspection  and  ap- 
proval. 

Very  respectfully, 

11.  \\  .  WILEY, 

Chemist 
Hon.  Norman  J.  Colman, 

Commissioner  of  Agrieultun . 

3 


EXPERIMENTS  IX  THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  SUGAR 

FROM  SORGHUM. 


The  results  of  tue  experiments  made  at  Ottawa  last  year  gave  en- 
couragement to  the  friends  of  the  sorghum  sugar  industry, and  led  to 
the  undertaking  of  a  new  series  of  experiments  at  Fort  Scott. 

The  Department  of  Agriculture  entered  into  the  following  agreement 
with  the  Parkinson  Sngar  Company  at  Fort  Scott : 

Washington,  D.  C-,  August  ?.  188 

AGREEMENT    BETWEEN    un.    COMMISSIONER    OF   AGRICULTURE    AND    THE    PARKIN80B 

GAR   COMPANY   «»l     PORT   SCOTT,  KAN-. 

The  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  agrees  to  erect  at  the  works  of  the  Parkinson 
Sngar  Company  of  Fori  Scott,  Kans.,  one  diffusion  battery  with  all  its  appliances; 
three  cane-cutters,  one  of  which  shall  hare  a  horizontal  cutting  disk,  with  appliances 
for  feeding  the  cam'  to  the  same,  and  elevators  for  delivering  the  chips  to  the  cells. 

He  further  agrees  to  erect  one  carbonatation  apparatus,  to  consist  of  a  lime-kiln, 
carbonic- acid  pump,  four  carbonatation  tanks,  and  four  filter-presses,  with  all  their 
connections:  also  one  sulphur  apparatus,  consisting  of  two  sulphur  furnaces,  three 
saturation-tanks,  three  filter-presses,  one  air-pump,  and  all  necessary  connections. 

He  further  agrees  to  prepare  the  whole  of  the  above-mentioned  machinery  for  prac- 
tical work,  and  to  provide  all  accessary  labor  and  material  for  a  thorough  experi- 
mental trial  of  the  same,  ami  when  this  trial  is  finished  to  allow  the  Parkinson  Sugar 
Company  the  free  Qse  of  the  apparatus  for  the  rest  of  the  manufacturing  season  of 
1  — « "» .  without  any  charge  for  rental  to  the  Parkinson  Company  aforesaid. 

It  is  expressly  agreed  ami  understood  that  all  machinery  furnished  bythe  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  ami  all  fixtures  and  appliances  therewith  connected,  shall  remain 
the  property  of  the  Department,  and  the  Commissioner  reserves  the  right  to  make 
such  disposition  of  all  of  it  alter  the  end  of  the  present  manufacturing  season  as  may 
seem  to  him  best  suited  to  pi  mote  the  public  interest. 

The  Parkinson  Sugar  Company   agree  to  furnish  bo  i  table  buildings  in  which  to 

erect  this  machinery  ,  to  supply  steam  for  dri\  ing  it  and  for  use  in  the  calorisal. 

the  battery,  ami  to  allow  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  as  much  time  as  he  may 
Lesire,  not  exceeding  ten  daj  -  from  the  commencement  of  the  manufacturing  season, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  the  experimental  trials  before  mentioned;  provided  that 
lining  thoe  experimental  trials  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  shall  pay  for  all  coal 
■onsiimed  for  supplying  the  steam  mentioned  above,  and  for  all  limestone,  coke,  sul- 
phur, filtering-cloths,  and  other  mat. 'rials  used  in  the  experiments. 

The  said  company  also  agree  to  furnish  a  suitable  o >  for  the  chemical  laboratory 

be  erected  bj  the  Department   and  nsed  bj  the  Department  ohemists  during 
utinuaoce  of  the  manufaoturinj 

[t  is  further  agreed  on  the  part  of  the  said  Parkinson  Company  that  during  the 
•nod  (,fiii.-  experiments  mentioned  the  accredited  representative  of  the  Department 
t  Port  Scott,  namely,  the  ohemisl   of  the  Department,  or  snob  other  person  atthe 


Commissioner  may  designate,  shall  have  sole  control  and  direction  of  the  work,  in  so 
far  as  the  extraction  and  purification  of  the  sngar-juices  are  concerned. 

Further,  on  the  part  of  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture,  it  is  agreed  that  during 
the  entire  manufacturing  season  In- will  supply  the  services  of  one  superintendent, 
namely.  Prof.  M.  >w  enson,  and  one  sugar-engineer,  namely,  Mr.  G.  L.  Spencer,  or  some 
other  persons  of  eqnal  experience  and  ability,  and  also  a  competent  corps  of  chemists; 
provided  the  company  aforesaid  give  to  said  agents  of  the  Department  every  facility 
for  studying  the  processes  employed,  and  supply  them  with  full  and  accurate  data  of 
the  amount  of  cane  entering  into  manufacture,  the  quantities  of  sugar  and  sirup  made, 
and  all  other  information  which  will  help  the  Commissioner  to  make  a  full  and  ac- 
curate report  of  the  whole  work:  provided  further,  that  after  the  experimental  work 
above  mentioned  has  been  finished  and  during  the  time  the  said  Company  operate  the 
machinery  for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing  sugar  ami  sirup  for  profit,  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  shall  not  be  responsible  for  any  other  expenses  than  those  which 
relate  to  tin-  employment  of  the  agents  of  the  Department  above  mentioned. 

NORMAN  J.  COLMAN, 

Commissioner  of  Agriculture, 
PARKINSON  SUGAR  COMPANY, 
By  C.  E.  DRAKE,  President. 

The  Congress  having  made  an  appropriation  of  $94,000  for  the  cou- 
ti nuance  of  the  experiments,  the  following  contract  was  made  between 
the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  and  The  Pnsey  &  Jones  Manufactur- 
ing Company  of  Wilmington,  Del.,  for  the  construction  and  erection  of 
the  necessary  machinery. 

Washington,  D.  C,  April '21,  1886. 
Deab  Sib:  I  desire  to  secure,  for  the  experimental  sugar  station  which  the  Depart- 
ment will  establish  in  connection  with  the  Parkinson  Sugar  Company,  at  Fori  Scott. 
Kans.,  a  diffusion  battery.     Will  you  kindly  send  me  estimates  of  the    cost  of  the 
battery,  in  conformity  with  the  following  general  requirements! 

(1)  The  battery  to  lie  of  a  capacity  to  work  200  tons  of  cane  in  twenty-four  hours 
at  a  mean  rate. 

(2)  The  battery  to  consisl  of  fourteen  cells,  arranged  in  a  straight  line,  with  valves, 

caloHsators,  and  connections  complete. 

Ihc  cells  to  be  cylindrical,  and  have  a  discharge-gate  at  the  bottom  of  the  area 
of  the  cross  Bection  of  the  cell. 

The  valves  to  be  so  arranged  thai  the  water  can  be  introduced  at  top  or  bottom 
of  each  cell  at  the  pleasure  of  the  operator. 
(5)  Th<- joint  of  the  uischarge-gate  to  be  made  by  hydraulic  closure. 
(to  The  last  charge  of  water  in  each  cell  to  be  removed  by  compressed  air. 
(7)  Apparat  us  for  the  automatic  charging  of  t  lie  cells  with  fresh  chips. 

Apparatus  for  removing  the  exhausted  chips. 
(0)  Calorisators  to  i»e  furnished  with  thermometers,  with  face  like  steam-gange. 

Measuring  tanks  for  withdrawing  juice,  with  accurate  float-gauge. 
(11)  Two  caue-cnttcrs,  with  vertical  disks,  and  forced  i\-n\.  with  cane-carriers  and 
chip-elevators  complete;  these  to  besimpl)   those  alreadj  ai  Ottawa,  with  a  modifi- 
cation <»f  ile-  forced  feed,  to  prevent  choking. 

i  j    An  compressor  and  resen  oir  for  discharging  w  ater  from  cell  next  to  be  emptied. 

In  the  above  apparatus  all  the  valves,  piping,  shafting,  pulleys,  elevators,&c,  which 

were  used  at  Ottawa  areto  '•»«•  incorporated  in  the  new  machinery  where  it  is  possible 

without  disadvantage,  and  to  !><■  valued  at  their  original  cost  price. 

In  your  proposals,  which  I  hereby  ask  for,  please  give  all  the  details  of  the  apparatus 

which  must   be  guaranteed  t<»  work  and  give  satisfaction  to  the  Department. 


Since  the  proper  erection  of  this  machinery  is  also  essential  to  its  success,  I  will  ask 
you  to  submit  a  proposal  to  erect  said  machinery  at  Fort  Scott  and  deliver  it  to  the 
Department  in  proper  working  order  on  or  before  the  10th  of  August,  1886 
Respectfully, 

NORMAN  J.  COLMAN, 

Commissioner. 
Wm.  G.  Gibbons, 

President,  §c,  Wilmington,  Del. 


Wilmington,  Del.,  May  8,  1886. 
Dear  Sir:  Replying  to  your  favor  of  21st  ultimo,  received  three  days  ago,  we  offer 
to  build  the  machiuery  therein  specified,  to  say — 

A  diffusion  battery,  consisting  of  14  cells,  cylindrical  in  form,  44  inches  in  diameter, 
7  feet  4  inches  lon<;,  with  door  at  bottom  of  full  diameter  of  cell,  and  baring  counter- 
balance and  hydraulic-joint  packing;  valves  arranged  so  that  the  water  can  be  in- 
troduced into  cells  at  either  top  or  bottom  at  pleasure. 

An  air-compressor  and  reservoir  so  arranged  that  the  water  in  each  cell  can  be 
removed  by  compressed  air  ;  apparatus  for  automatic  charging  of  the  cells  with  fresh 
chips  and  removing  the  exhausted  chips  to  a  comfortable  distance  from  the  battery. 
Calorisators  to  be  furnished  with  thermometers.  Unfortunately  those  made  in  this 
country  with  face  like  steam-gauges  are  so  slow  of  operation,  that  they  would  be  use- 
less. We  are  forced,  then,  to  supply  mercurial  thermometers ;  will  select  the  plainest 
dials  to  be  had. 

Proper  measuring-tanks  for  withdrawing  juice  with  floating  gauge. 
Alter  the  two  cane-cutters  now  at  Ottawa,  Kans.,  so  that  the  forced  feed  shall  not 
choke,  and  supply  cane  carriers  and  chip-elevators.     Price,  $14,125. 

In  this  it  is  proposed  to  use  such  portions  of  the  valves,  pipes,  and  other  tilings 
pertaining  to  the  apparatus  at  Ottawa   built  by  us  as  may  be  adaptable  to  tin'  above. 
We  also  propose  to  transport  all  of  the  above  t<>  Port  Scott,  Kans.,  and  erect  at  the 
works  of  the  Parkinson  8 agar  Company  and  have  in  operation  on  or  before  the  10th 
day  of  August,  1886,  for  the  further  sum  of  82,500. 
Soliciting  the  order,  which  shall  have  prompt  dispatch,  we  are, 
Yours,  truly, 

THE  PUSEY  A  JONES  COMPANY, 
By  WILLIAM  G.  GIBBONS, 

President. 
Hon.  Norman  J.  Colman, 

Commissioner  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  IK  C. 


Washington.  1>.  C.  /«iyS6,  1886. 
Gbntuemsn:  t  hays  received  your  communication  of  85th  Instant  in  respect  of  the 
cmounl  which  you  offer  as  in  exohange  for  tin-  machinery  specified  in  mj  letter  of 
28d  instant,  and  your  offer  is  satisfactory  tome,     l  therefore  accept  your  proposition 

Of 8th  of  May,  last,  viz: 

'•A  d  illusion  batter}  consisting  Of  fourteen  cells,  cylindrical  in  form.  1  1  i  indies  diam- 
eter. 7  feet  l  inches  long,  with  door  at   bottom  of  fall  diameter  of  cell,  and  having 

conn  t  erl  »a  la  nee  and  h  \  d  ran  lie  joint  packing;    ralves   at  ranged  BO  that  the  w  at.  i  can 
he  introduced  into  the  cells  .it  either  lop  or  bottom  at  pleasure. 

(<  An  air-compressor  and  reservoir,  so  arranged  that  the  water  in  each  ceil  can  be  re 
moved  by  compressed  air ;  apparatus  for  automatic  oharging  of  the  cells  with  fresh 
ships  ami  removing  the  exhausted  chips  i,,  ;1  comfortable  distance  from  the  battery. 

14  Calorisators  to  be  furnished  with  thermometers,    Unfortunately  those  made  in  this 


country,  with  face  like  steam  gauges,  are  so  slow  of  operation  that  they  would  he 
useless.  We  are  forced,  then,  to  supply  mercurial  thermometers.  Will  select  the 
plainest  dial  to  he  had. 

"  Proper  measuring  tanks  for  withdrawing  juice,  with  floating  gac  3 

"Alter  the  two  cane-cutters  now  at  Ottawa,  Kaus.,  so  that  the  forced  feed  will  not 
choke,  and  supply  cane-carriers  and  chips  elevators.     Price.  $1  1,125. 

"In  this  it  is  proposed  to  use  such  portions  of  the  valves,  pipes,  and  other  things 
pertaining  to  the  apparatus  at  Ottawa  built  hy  us  as  may  he  adaptable  to  the  above. 

"  We  also  propose  to  transport  all  of  the  above  to  Fort  Scott,  Cans.,  and  erect  at  the 
works  of  the  Parkinson  Sugar  Company,  and  have  in  operation  on  or  before  the  10th 
day  of  August,  1886,  for  the  further  sum  of  $2,500. 

Replying  further  to  your  letter  of  25th  instant,  I  will  say  that  the  cane-cutters  and 
battery  now  at  the  "Hermitage"  plantation  of  Mr.  D.  F.  Kenner,  iuLouisiana,  will 
be  delivered  alongside  the  Cromwell  Wharf,  in  New  Orleans,  before  the  1st  of  Septem- 
ber next,  in  accordance  with  your  desires. 

In  further  preparation  of  the  work  at  Fort  Scott,  I  desire  you  to  submit  to  me  your 
estimates  of  the  cost  of  four  filter  presses  and  a  Bufficienl  number  of  carbonatation 
tanks,  to  he  used  in  the  experiments  in  the  manufacture  of  sugar  at  Fort  Scott  dur- 
ing the  coming  campaign. 

I  desire  this  proposition  to  include  the  freight  to  Fort  Scott  ;  in  other  words,  I  ask 
you  to  deliver  the  apparatus  just  mentioned  to  the  Department  at  Fort  Scott,  Kans., 
at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 
Very  respectfully, 

NORMAN  J.  COLMAN, 

Commissioner. 

The  Pdsey  &  Jones  Company, 

Wilmington,  Del. 

A  contract  was  also  made  for  a  part  of  the  apparatus  for  treating*  the 
diffusion  juice  with  lime  and  carbonic  acid  in  the  following  terms: 

Wilmington,  Del..,  August  3,  1886. 

Dear  Sib:  We  owe  you  an  apology  for  so  much  time  having  been  allowed  to  elapse 
since  the  receipt  of  your  favor  of  26th  ultimo,  and  its  reply.  Illness  in  the  family  of 
the  writer  has  prevented  his  attention,  and  hence  the  delay,  which  please  excuse. 

The  diffusion  machinery  referred  to  in  your  letter  is  now  being  erected  at  Port 
Scott,  Cans.,  al  the  works  of  the  Parkinson  Sugar  Company.  Of  the  date  of  its  start- 
ing we  shall  advise  yon  later. 

The  four  filter  presses  von  inquire  for  will  cost,  delivered  at  Fori  Scott,  complete,  all 

allready  for  sen  ice,  $1,100 each.    Four  carbonatation  tanks,  each  «s  feel  6  inches  long, 

•1  IV,  t  6  inches  wide,  and  6  feel  6inohes  high  at    front,  and  6  feel    high  at  back,  with 

receiving  and  discharge  pipe  and  valves,  gas-pipe,  and  distribution,  oopperooil  heater, 

and  vapor  pipe,  all  complete,  delivered  si  Fori  Scott,  Kans.,  $350  each. 

Soliciting  your  order,  we  are  yours,  truly, 

The  Pusei  &  Jones  Company, 

Bj   WM.  G.  GIBBONS,  President, 

Hon.  Norm  w  .1.  Colman, 

Commissioner  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  battery  erected  bj  the  Pusey  &  Jones  Company,  consisted  of  I  f 
cells,  arranged  in  Bingle  line,  with  calorisatore  and  apparatus  for  use 
of  compressed  air  in  discharging  the  water  from  each  cell  before  drop- 
ping the  exhausted  chips.  The  working  ol  the  battery  was  entirely  sat- 
isfactory. 


Each  cell  had  a  capacity  of  75  cubic  feet,  and  would  hold  1,900 
pounds  of  sorghum  chips,  moderately  packed.  Each  celljwas  constructed 
from  the  drawings  obtained  from  the  Fives-Lille  Company,  and  the  de- 
tailed description  may  be  found  in  Bulletin  No,  8. 

The  cutters  used  were  those  employed  at  Ottawa  last  year.  Thecon- 
tractors  made  no  attempt  whatever  to  rebuild  the  forced  feed  attach- 
ment, and  this  failure  was  the  cause  of  the  chief  delay  we  experienced 
after  the  apparatus  was  in  regular  use.  With  very  sharp  knives,  and 
with  cane  fresh  and  green,  they  did  reasonably  good  work,  but  after  a 
frost  bad  killed  the  leaves  of  the  cane  it  was  found  almost  impossible  to 
make  the  cutters  work.  It  often  required  half  an  hour  to  till  a  single 
cell.  When  it  is  remembered  that  the  rest  of  the  apparatus  could  easily 
have  worked  a  ton  of  chips  each  eight  minutes,  the  disastrous  effects 
of  this  delay  can  be  appreciated. 

From  this  cause  great  trouble  was  experienced  in  working  the  bat- 
tery. When  all  the  cells  were  in  use  each  one  was  often  under  pressure 
three  or  four  hours.  The  cane  was  unusually  acid,  and  from  this  there 
followed  a  huge  inversion  of  sucrose  in  the  battery.  If,  to  avoid  this, 
the  temperature  of  diffusion  was  lowered,  fermentation  would  set  in. 
There  was  nothing  left  for  us  to  do  but  to  work  a  smaller  number  of 
cells.  Often  only  six  or  seven  cells  were  under  pressure,  and  conse- 
quently the  degree  of  extraction  was  far  less  perfect  than  it  would  have 
been  otherwise. 

The  style  of  cutter  used  furnished  a  chip  well  suited  to  diffusion,  but 
I  am  convinced  that  these  cutters  are  more  costly  and  require  more 
power  for  operation  than  is  necessary. 

With  a  viewof  collecting  these  detects  I  purchased  a  beet  root  cutter, 

formerly  used  by  the  Portland  Beel  Sugar  Company,  and  had  it  rebuilt 
by  the  Colwell  Iron  Company  of  New  York,  tor  an  experimental  cane 
cutter. 

This  apparatus  had  a  horizontal  disk,  and  \\  as  so  modified  as  to  take 
a  multiple  feed,  the  cane  being  delivered  to  it  through  Bis  hoppers  in- 
clined in  degrees  to  the  vertical.  With  perfectly  clean  canes  this  cutter 
gave  promise  of  success,  bul  with  the  sorghum -cane  as  it  came  from  the 

held  it  proved  a  total  failure. 

This  leads   me   to   believe   that    the  cutters   used   at   -lava   and   other 

places  so  successfully  with  sugar-cane  would  not  serve  the  purpose  ol 
slicing  sorghum  for  the  battery.     An\  question  of  cleaning  the  canes 

before  delivering  them  to  the  cutter  niuM  be  negatived  on  the    score  of 

economy. 

Tor  the  further  Stud?  of  the  problem  1  ti  ied  t  he  >\  stem  ol  'cane  slicing 

invented  i>\  Mr.  II.  A.  Hughes,  of  Rio  Grande,  N.  J. 
The  principle  of  this  system  consists  in  first  cutting  the  canes  into 

lengths  of  three  or  four  inches  by  means  of  :tn  en8ilage*CUl  ter,  and  after 

passing  them  through  a  cleaning  apparatus  deliver  them  to  a  shaving' 

machine  constructed  on  the  principle  of  a  board  planer. 


10 

This  latter  part  of  the  apparatus  was  kindly  loaned  to  the  Depart- 
ment by  Mr.  Hughes. 

The  canes  were  first  cut  by  a  Belle  City  ensilage-cutter  into  pieces 
about  2.25  inches  in  length.  These  pieces  were  run  through  a  Panning- 
mill  and  nearly  all  the  blades  and  sheaths  were  thus  removed.  The 
clean  pieces  of  cane  were  next  delivered  to  a  sheer  built  on  the  princi- 
ple of  an  ordinary  board-planer.  The  cylinder  was  6  inches  in  diameter 
and  30  inches  in  length,  and  carried  twoknives  projecting  one-eighth  to 
one  sixteenth  inch  beyond  the  surface.  This  was  driven  at  a  high  rate 
of  speed,  over  3,000  revolutions  per  minute.  The  canes  were  shredded 
rather  than  sliced  by  this  process,  so  that  the  extraction  of  the  sugar 
was  rather  a  maceration  than  a  diffusion. 

Even  with  this  small  machine  it  was  found  possible  to  prepare  nearly 
as  much  cane  for  the  battery  as  with  the  three  ponderous  cutters  de- 
scribed. It  was  found,  however,  that  the  ensilage-cutter  was  not  strong 
enough  to  do  the  work,  and  hence  this  most  promising  system  of  cane- 
cutting,  practiced  successfully  at  Rio  Grande,  was  discontinued.  The 
experiment,  however,  led  me  to  believe  that  the  principle  was  the  right 
one;  especially  is  this  so  because  it  permits  of  the  easy  cleaning  of  the 
canes  by  first  cutting  them  into  small  pieces.  This  seems  to  be  the  only 
practical  way  of  accomplishing  what  is  of  prime  necessity  to  diffusion, 
viz,  the  removal  of  all  deleterious  substances  from  the  chips. 

Having  demonstrated  the  practicability  of  cleaning  the  cane  in  the 
manner  already  described,  my  attention  was  next  directed  to  the  con- 
sideration of  the  best  method  of  cutting  the  short  pieces  of  cane  into 
chips  suitable  for  diffusion.  For  this  purpose  I  had  constructed  by  the 
Fort  Scott  Foundry  a  centrifugal  slicer.  The  theory  of  this  apparatus 
was  that  the  knives,  being  carried  in  a  revolving  frustum  of  a  cone,  and 
the short  pieces  of  cane  being  fed  from  the  inside  of  this  cone,  the  chips, 
as  soon  as  (nit,  would  fly  off  by  centrifugal  force.  A  trial  of  this  appa- 
ratus showed  that  the  liber  of  the  cane  would  clog  the  knives  and  thus 
Stop  the  work.  The  close  of  the  season  prevented  any  modification  of 
the  apparatus.  I  think  the  principle  of  the  apparatus  is  promising 
enough  to  warrant  further  trial. 

A.88  result  of  the  experiments  with  cutters  the  following  conclusions 
can  be  drawn  : 

(1)  Whatever  the  form  of  the  cutting-machine  employed  may  be,  it 
is  necessary  that  tin*  cane  be  cleaned.  This  cleaning  should  not  consist 
of  the  removal  of  the  blades  alone,  but  also  the  sheaths. 

(2)  The  slicing  of  the  canes  obliquely  by  means  of  a  vertical  cutting- 

machine  with  a  forced  \vc<\  is  not  an  economical  method  of  procedure. 

(3)  The  use  of  a  cut  t  ing  machine  with  a  horizontal  disk  and  multiple 

feed  is  Impracticable  forsorghum  canes  unless  they  are  perfectly  clean. 

(4)  The  preliminary  cutting  of  the  canes  into  short  lengths  promises 
the  easiest  BOlutiOD  of  the  problem  of  cleaning  the  cane. 

(5)  The  subsequent  slicing  of  these  sections  by  some  form  of  appara- 
tus is  a  mechanical  problem  which  can  be  solved. 


11 

THE   APPARATUS  FOR  DELIVERING  THE   CHIPS  TO  THE  BATTERY  AND 
REMOVING  THEM  THEREFROM. 

The  working  of  the  chip  elevators  and  the  apparatus  ..or  removing 
the  exhausted  chips  was  exceedingly  unsatisfactory. 

The  chips  falling  into  the  pit  below  the  cutters  were  carried  by  a 
screw  conveyor  to  a  bucket  elevator.  Thence  they  were  dropped  onto 
a  belt  conveyor,  which  delivered  them  to  the  apparatus  for  blowing  out 
the  leaves,  &c.  The  screw,  the  elevator,  and  the  belt  frequently  became 
choked  and  occasioned  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  delay. 

The  apparatus  for  removing  the  exhausted  chips  gave  still  greater 
trouble. 

In  discharging  a  cell  the  whole  contents,  weighing  a  ton,  were  thrown 
at  once  on  the  conveyor.  This  load  was  too  great,  and  many  days'  delay 
were  experienced  in  making  the  alterations  necessary  even  to  moder- 
ate efficiency. 

The  elevator  for  taking  the  exhausted  chips  from  this  conveyor  was 
a  very  complicated  and  inefficient  piece  of  apparatus,  and  many  tedious 
changes  had  to  be  made  before  it  would  do  the  necessary  work.  Fi- 
nally its  use  was  abandoned  altogether.  The  lessons  taught  by  these 
unfortunate  delays  show  that  the  proper  method  for  removing  the  ex- 
hausted chins  from  the  battery  is  by  deans  of  a  tramway  and  dump- 
cart,  as  practiced  at  Aimeria  and  described  in  Bulletin  No.  8.  A  great 
deal  of  apparatus  and  power  will  be  saved  by  this  method  of  disposing 
Of  the  chip-.  Tht'  conveyor  for  filling  the  cells  worked  in  marked  con- 
trast with  the  rest  <>t  the  chip  handling  machinery,  and  gave  perfect 
satisfaction.  This  conveyor  extended  the  entire  length  of  the  battery, 
and  was  placed  directly  above  it.  Over  each  cell  was  a  door  in  the 
floor  of  the  conveyor.  When  a  cell  was  to  be  filled  the  door  above  it 
was  Opened  ami  the  chips  tell  through  onto  a  funnel  which  directed 
them  into  the  cell.  The  bottom  of  the  conveyor  at  fort  Scott  was  too 
Dear  the  top  of  the  cells.  It  should  be  not  less  than  <l  feet  above  the 
top  of  the  cells,  SO  as  to  allow  ample  room  for  tamping  the  chips  as 
they  fall  into  the  cell,  thereby  greatlj  Increasing  the  capacity  of  the 

battery.  1  do  not  think  a  better  contrivance  could  be  devised  for  till- 
ing the  cells  of  a  line  batters.  I  am  still  of  the  opinion,  however,  that 
the  charging  of  a  circular  battery,  as  described  in  Bulletin  NTo.  B,  would 

be  a  more  simple    method.      The  disposition  of   the  batten,  however,  is 

not  a  matter  of  vital  importance. 

I  am  further  of  the  opinion  that  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  an  ingeni- 
ous mechanical  engineer  familiar  with  elevating  apparatus  to  build  the 
machinery  which  will  elevate  the  cuttings  to  the  batten  without  any 
difficulty.  By  the  employment  of  the  centrifugal  cutter  already  de- 
scribed,^ hich  can  be  placed  direct  ly  over  the  batten  .  the  elevators  w  ill 

only  have  bocarrj  the  short  pieces  of  cane,  a  \en  easj  task. 


12 

MACHINERY  FOR  HANDLING  THE  CANE. 

The  apparatus  for  taking  the  cane  from  the  carts  and  delivering  it  to 
the  <-utters  was  designed  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Parkinson.  The  carts  for  bring- 
ing the  cane  from  tlie  fields  are  provided  with  a  rack  of  peculiar  construc- 
tion. On  this  rack  are  placed  ropes  in  such  a  manner  that  when  the 
cart  arrives  at  the  unloading-  station  the  ropes  can  be  brought  together, 
inclosing  the  whole  load  of  cane.  By  means  of  a  power  drum  the  entire 
load  is  drawn  from  the  cart  onto  a  weighing-truck  running  on  a  tram- 
way. 

As  soon  as  the  weighing  is  completed  the  truck  is  moved  along  the 
v.  a  \  until  it  comes  opposite  the  cane-carrier.  It  is  drawn  from  the  truck 
b\  means  of  a  power  drum  and  is  dragged  down  an  inclined  plane  in 
e  armfhls  to  the  carrier.  The  carrier  runs  at  right  angles  to  the 
length  of  the  cane  and  to  the  elevators  which  deliver  the  canes  to  the 
cutters.  As  the  cane  is  carried  along  this  feed-table  the  heads  are  cut 
off  by  a  circular  saw  running  at  a  high  rate  of  speed.  The  heads  which 
escape  the  saw  are  afterwards  cut  off  by  hand.  The  canes  then  pass  to 
a  point  midway  over  the  three  elevators  leading  to  the  cutters.  Thence 
by  means  of  an  ingenious  contrivance  it  can  be  dropped  into  either  ear- 
lier at  will.  The  apparatus  worked  well,  but  aside  from  the  removal  of 
the  tops  I  doubt  whether  so  complicated  a  piece  of  machinery  is  neces- 
sary. 

CARBON  AT  AT  ION  APPARATUS. 

This  apparatus  consists  of  a  lime  kiln,  washer  for  the  gas,  carbonic- 
acid  pump,  and  carbonatation  tanks. 

LIME-KILN. 

The  lime-kiln  was  built  by  .Mr.  Gr.  L.  Spencer,  with  castings  and  plans 
from  tin*  Eallesche  Maschineufabrik.  The  pump  was  built  by  the  same 
linn,  but  was  purchased,  as  well  as  the  castings  just  mentioned,  from 
the  Portland  Beet  Sugar  Company.  After  the  workmen  learned  how 
t<>  con d i ict  the  Operations  at  the  kiln  we  had  no  trouble  with  its  manip- 
ulation. It  furnished  an  abundant  supply  of  gas,  and  an  amount  of 
lime  in  large  excess  of  the  quantity  required. 

The  limestone  at  firs!  furnished  contained  a  huge  quantity  of  cement 

and  was  unlit  for  use.      In   all.  several   da\s"dela\   was  caused   by  this 

imperfection. 

Alter  reasonably  good  Limestone  was  obtained  all  worked  well.     The 

analyses  of  the  limestones  employed  will  be  found  among  the  analyti- 
cal data.  The  drawings  and  detailed  description  of  the  lime-kiln  are 
found  in  Bulletin  No.  8. 

i  in;  PUMP. 

The  pump  was  delivered  to  as  in  that  state  of  imperfection  which 

three  months    of  very   haul    usage   and   six   years   of  disuse   produce. 


13 

Nevertheless,  after  a  proper  adjustment  it  worked  with  perfect  satisfac- 
tion. In  all  not  more  than  half  a  day's  delay  was  caused  by  the  ad- 
justment of  this  apparatus. 

THE   CARBONATATION   TANKS. 

These  tanks  were  built  by  the  Posey  and  Jones  Company,  according 
to  the  drawings  and  specifications  in  Bulletin  Xo.  8,  and  gave  perfect 
satisfaction.  J  can  suggest  no  improvement  in  them  unless  it  be  the 
insertion  of  revolving  paddles  to  keep  down  the  foam. 

THE  FILTER-PRESSES. 

These,  four  in  number,  and  of  thirty  chambers  each,  were  constructed 
by  the  Pusey  and  Jones  Company,  on  the  general  plan  of  the  Kroog 
filter-press,  but  with  certain  modifications  suggested  and  patented  by 

Mr.  Swenson,  Their  work  gave  perfect  satisfaction.  The  only  fault 
discovered  in  them  was  the  weakness  of  the  plates,  a  great  number  of 
them  breaking  under  the  ordinary  pressure. 

THE   SULPHUR  APPARATUS. 

This  apparatus  consists  of  an  air-compressor,  two  sulphur  furnaces, 
three  sulphuring-tanks,  and  three   Kroog's   twin  filter -p  The 

whole  apparatus  was  built  by  the  Sangerhanser  Maschinenl'abrik,  and 
its  work  gave  entire  satisfaction.  The  apparatus  La  described  in  detail 
in  Bulletin  N«>.  8. 

The  whole  of  the  machinery,  with  the  unimportant  changes  noted, 
was  constructed  according  to  the  drawings  and  specifications  printed  in 
Bulletin  No.  8.     Their  reproduction  is  not  considered  necessary  here. 

A  NAM  TICAL  DATA. 

The  analyses  of  canes,  chips,  waste-waters,  purified  juices,  &c,  were 
made  at  the  factory  chiefly  by  Dr.  0.  A.  Crampton,  assisted  l>\  Mr.  X. 
J.  Pake.  The  limestones.  mas8e-cuites,  press-cakes,  &&,  were  exam- 
ined in  the  laboratory  at  Washington. 

The  analyses  of  the  gases  from  the  lime-kiln  were  made  by  Mr.  (i.  L. 
Spencer. 


14 


Limestones,  $c. 


Serial 


4581 


4582 
4583 
4584 

4585 


4586 
4598 


4599 
4638 
4651   10 


Xo. 


P.ct. 


.20 
.05 


4652 


4662 
4663 


.10 
.04 


CO*. 


P.ct. 

43.10 


30.90 
41.84 
37.82 

40.07 


37.56 


41.70 
41.70 
42.70 


BiO* 


41.  i 


40.00 
41.20 


P.ct. 
1.55 


23.03 
3.10 
3.00 

5.92 


10.01 
2.50 


2.81 
1.68 


5.40 
3.47 


P.ct. 
.97 


3.85 
1.40 
1.48 


1.07 
1.56 


1.82 

1.42 

.93 


72 


3.14 
2.02 


CaO. 


MgO. 


P.  ct.    P.  ct. 
54.  70       .  04 


42.05 
53.55 
51.  3C 

51.53 


.07 
.04 


49.26    . 
63.84  I 


54.08 
55.40 
52.  02 


52.26 


57.83 
53.72 


54 


54 


SO3. 


P.ct. 
.03 


.  03 
.02 


37 


PaOs. 


P.ct. 
.01 


03 


Sums. 


P.ct. 

100.  40 


100. 16 
100.  03 


98.51 


94.87 


100.68 


Index  to  limestones. 


100.  22 


101.03 
100.  99 


Selected  from  150  cords  of 
limestone    on  hand  at 
tbe   beginning    of   the 
season. 
Do. 
Do. 

Core  of  limestone  burned 
in  mill,  doesn't  burn. 

Limestone  brought  in 
wagons  from  Fort  Seott 
Lime  Works. 

Duplicate  sample. 

Selected  from  150  cords  of 
limestone  on  band  .it 
tbe   beginning    of   the 


Do. 
Duplicate  sample. 
Limestone  in  use  Ootobei 
17,  surface  rook  from  a 
point  2  miles  south  of 
factors . 
Limestone  in  use  October 
17  deeper  in  quarry. 
Do. 
Do. 


Burnt  lime. 

Slag. 

Spent  bone 

black. 

4,587 

4,588 

4,600 

"Water    . 

Per  cent. 

9.60 

0.00 

4.36 

3.70 

81.40 

.09 

Undetermined  .. 

Per  (■•  nt. 

0.00 

Traces 

39.30 
31.50 
38.60 

Per  cent. 

1  15 

1    L8 

72 

Fe2  O3   Ah  O3 



MO      

Si).                      

P2O6 

*3">  80 

17.24 

99.15 

99.40 

99.88 

Equivalent  to  Ca  (P04)3,  79. 46. 


t  Contains  N. 


15 

Mill  juices  before  October  1. 


Date. 


Aug.  30 
Aug.  31 
Aug.  31 
Aug.  31 
Sept.  3 
Sept.  15 
Sept  10 
Sept  17 
Bept  18 
Sept.  18 
Sept,  20 
Sept.  21 
Sept.  21 
Sept  22 
Sept.  22 
Sept  23 
Sept.  23 
Sept.  23 
Sept.  24 

Sept.  '-'4 

Sept.  25 
Sept  25 
Sept  28 
Sept  29 
Sept  30 


Index  to  mill  juices. 


Aver.    55.79     L0723 
Coeffioieni  parity. .. 


Early  amber  cane  from  west  held. 

Early  amber  cane  from  east  field. 

Link's  hybrid. 

Early  orange. 

Early  amber  cane,  juice  extracted  by  hand. 

Early  umber  cam-  from  east  held,  cut  two  days 

Early  amber  (  am,  cut  time  days. 

Orange  cane  from  wagons. 

Cane  from  carrier. 

Do. 
Amber  cane  from  carrier. 
Amber  cane  from  carrier,  cut  yesterday. 
Orange  cane  from  carrier. 
Amber  cane  from  carrier',  cut  two  da  vs. 
Amber  cane  from  carrier,  cut  one  day. 
Amber  cane  from  carrier,  cut  three  da\  S. 
Cane  from  carrier. 
Link's  hybrid  from  field. 
Cane  from  carrier. 

Cane  like  preceding,  except  badly  lodged. 
Cane  from  carrier,  (from  lodged  iot). 
( Grange  cane,  cut  today. 
Cane  from  carrier. 

Do. 

Do. 


Mill  juices  after  September  30. 


281     80.71 


Su- 

Glu- 

crose. 

cose. 

P.ct. 

/'.  ct. 

8.  :r, 

4.95 

14.50 

1.77 

14.87 

2.  1-. 

10.50 

2.60 

12.39 

1.92 

10.  65 

2.  87 

2,  1 1 

3.11 

li  46 

3.03 

9.  in 

4.38 

8.07 

•J.  20 

7.72 

8.  :5s 

7.  22 

LOO 

7.  82 

7.74 

8,  13 

10.51 

M    11 

4.56 

5.71 

11.  11 

ft.  17 

10.08 

2.  18 

l.  15 

Oct  l 

Oct  2 

Oct  i 

Oct  i 

Oct  5 

Oct  7 

Oct.  7 


Oct 

Oct 

Oct 

ii.  t 
1 1.  i 
Oct  10 

Oct  ii 

Oct  n 

Oct  ii 

net     12 

Oct  12 
Oct  L2 
Oct  12 

o.t.  12 
Oct  12 


Index  to  mill  juices. 


M.    t 

id 

ia 

Oct 

18 

Oct 

13 

Oct 

18 

Oct 

ia 

Cane  from  carrier,  stripped. 
Cane  from  carrier. 

Cane  brought  in  cars  from  Hammond. 
Amber  cane  from  carrier. 
Orange  cane  from  carrier. 

Cane  from  earlier. 

Cane,  amber,  on  OttT  from  Hammond. 
Same,  01 

Amber  cane  from  Hammond. 
Same,  01 

Cane  from  car,  >aiue  as  two  preceding,  but  better 
ged  samples  taken  from  center  of  ear,  while 

the  first  samples  were  taken  from  the  outside, 

amber. 
Same,  orange. 

cane  from  carrier  (juice  retry  red). 
Cane  Prom  carrier,  p.  m. 

<  '.iin-  ti  nin  carrier,  a.  tu.  (Old  OHM). 
Link's  liybt  id  from  field. 

from  held. 
Ambei  from  field. 

Cane  from  carrier,  cut  several  days. 

First  fresh  wagon  load  lot  m  to-day. 

Link's  bvbt  id  cane  from   Profi 
D  and  not  hurt  by  frost 
om  carrier,  freshly  cut,  a.  m. 
Cane  from  oarrier,  p.  m. 

•  'am-  ft oat 

i  lane  on  oai  from  Hammond,  ot  • 

1 1  om  Hammond,  amber. 
iber,  lot  from   Hammond  by  Dr.  WUaj  and 
Profi  n. 

Berne  ot 

Same,  01 

<  'a ne  for  expei  Imentalrun,  orange,  taken  from  same 

Same  amber. 

Sample  from  other  two  can  from  Hammond  o 

Same,  amber 

i  line  from  Profi 
First   mill  Juioe  from  experimental   run,   tfirting 
sample  i  i  at  j  bour,  ot  • 


16 


j/ill  juices  after  Septeynber  30 — Continued. 


No. 

Ex- 
ii, it  - 
tion. 

Sp.  £T. 

Solids. 

Su-    | 
crose. 

Glu- 

Date. 

Index  to  mill  juices. 

P.  rt. 

P.ct. 

P.ct.  I 

62.  50 

1.  0608 

14.9 

4.04 

7.  25     Oct.  13 

Same,  aruber,  taken  at  same  time  as  above. 

1.0021 

15.2 

5.83 

6.07 

Oct.  13 

Second  sample  orange. 

50.00      1.0626 

15.3 

9.51 

2.44 

Oct  L3 

Second  sample.  Link  a  hybrid,  from  Swenaon'a. 

290 

60.  00     1.  0078 

10.  5 

8.  77 

3.75 

Oct  13 

Third  sample,  orange,  from  Hammond. 

50.  52      1.  0084 

16.6 

8.  51 

4.  12 

Oct.  14 

Cane  from  i  arrier,  amber. 

1.  0629 

15.4 

7.88 

4.38 

Oct.  14 

Cane  from  carrier,  orange. 

310 

1.0580 

14.3 

7.45 

4.50 

Oct.  15 

Denton  "  cane,  analysed  for  Mr.  Parkinson. 

311 

LO4O0 

!  10.0 

3.66 

3.31 

Oct.  15 

( hreen  cane  from  wagon. 

442 

1.  0560 

:  13.8 

5.87 

4.  98 

Oct  28 

Cane  from  field  across  railroad,  amber,  still  greeu. 

458 

60.  00     1.  0550 

■  13.6 

7.60 

1.97 

Oct.  25 

Cane  fiom  field  this  side  railroad  track,  amber. 

Ay. 

58.  01      1.  068 

16.6 

8.70 

4.15 

Coefficient  purity  . . 

52.41 

('hips  from  first  of  season  to  October  1 

,  1886. 

Uncorrected. 

Corrected. 

No. 

Date. 

Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent 

10 

Sept.   8 

5.63 

8.34 

5.91 

8.02 

11 

Sept.   9 

10.21 

3.90 

10.72 

3.39 

12 

Sept,    9 

9.08 

2.15 

9.53 

1.70 

14 

Sept.  10 

5.86 

5.94 

6.15 

5.65 

15  |  Sept  11 

9.57 

2.17 

10.05 

1.69 

17 

Sept.  11 

9.90 

1.91 

10.40 

1.41 

19 

Sept.  13 

9.30 

1.24 

9.76 

.77 

24 

Sept.  14 

1.94 

8.96 

1.51 

36 

Sept.  16 

10.32 

3.13 

10.84 

2.61 

43 

Sept.   17 

9.50 

3.34 

9.97 

2.86 

49 

Sept  is 

10.81 

2.73 

11.35 

2.  11) 

65 

Sept  20 

8.28 

4.98 

8.69 

4.57 

74 

Sept  21 

7.94 

3.11 

8.32 

2.73 

86 

Sept  22 

5.12 

7  14 

5.38 

6.88 

90 

Sept.  23 

7.39 

4.31 

7.75 

3.95 

105 

Sept.  25 

5.74 

3.89 

6.03 

3.60 

107 

Sept  28 

8.51 

2.45 

8.93 

2.  03 

115 

Sept  29 

11.18 

1.97 

11.71 

1.41 

121 
Mean 

Sept  30 

7.26 

6.44 

7.62 

6.08 

8.43 

3.  72 

8.85 

3  32 

( 'hips  from 

October  1  to  close. 

1 29 

Oct. 

i 

4.03 

135 

Dot 

2 

a  7.-. 

9.19 

3.  13 

161 

Oct 

4 

:(.  o<; 

7.  88 

3.62 

l-:, 

Oct 

7 

1.22 

8  B] 

206 

Oct. 

8 

o.  -ri 

6.  58 

•;.  :i;» 

211 

Oct 

'.i 

0.  77 

o.  66 

7.11 

8,  88 

•i-r, 

Oc1 

;• 

10.78 

:;.  79 

11.27 

3.  25 

238 

Oct 

in 

7.21 

7.57 

210 

Oct 

n 

3.  1)3 

-  u 

B.  58 

270 

Oct. 

12 

3.  20 

L0.84 

2.  77 

Oil. 

i:; 

3.  01 

7.50 

4.11 

7.  30 

Oct 

LS 

ti   l  - 

2!  17 

Oct 

U 

1   71 

<;.  88 

B09 

Oct 

i:. 

7.-1 

BIS 

Oct. 

L6 

7.31 

325 

Oct. 

n; 

7.  1- 

3.01 

3.  23 

84J 

Oct 

17 

J.  99 

6.88 

!•',.', 

:\:a 

Oct 

18 

6.  56 

1.  11 

375 

Oct 

18 

8.  L6 

4.  20 

891 

20 

413 

Oct 

21 

:..  77 

I.  19 

431 

o,  i 

2 'J 

l.::i 

447 

0<  i. 

28 

o.  . 

86 

■i.r.i 

5.  47 

474 

.»,  i 

27 

2.  89 

6.  08 

1.  4h 

7.01 

4.  15 

17 


ANALYSES  OF  JUICE  OF  CHIPS  FRO^I  CUTTERS. 

These  chips  were  taken  from  the  cells  of  the  battery  as  they  were  fill- 
ing.    A  handful  was  taken  from  each  cell  until  ten  had  been  sampled. 

The  determinations  were  made  by  passing  these  chips  through  the 
mill  and  then  subjecting  the  juice  to  examination  in  the  usual  way. 

Mill  juices  from  chips  taken  from  circuit  of  cells. 


Number. 

Date. 

Specific 
gravity. 

Solids.      Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

308  

Oct.  15 

1  nfi*>4 

Per  cent.    Per  cent 

1  r>  3                  ft  02 

Per  cent 
2.61 
3.  4€ 
3.35 
3.68 
3.31 
3.31 
3.48 
3.31 
4.18 
4.44 

312 

326. 

340 

355 

372 

390 

412 

429 

445     

Oct.  16          1. 0G10           14.9 
Oct.  16         1.0G70           16.3 
Oct.  17          1.0648           15.8 
Oct.  18         1.0584           14. 8 
Oct   18          1.0596  !         14.  G 
Oct.  20         1.0G48           15.8 
Oct  81          1.0590            14.5 
Oct  22          1.0618           15.1 
Oct  28        l-  0510 

7.84 
8.  88 
8.17 
T.21 

7.69 
8.82 
7.48 
G.  17 
5.77 

460 

Oct.  26 
Oct.  27 

1.0580  1         14.2               5.42             4.85 
1.0578           14.2               4.50             4.95 

473 

1.  0605                                                       3.  74 

13.17 

Purity  coefficient  of  .juice,  49. 
Glucose  per  100  sucrose  in  juice,  51.  07. 

Chips  exhausted  in  botths  with  and  without  neutralizing. 


Number. 

8M 

Oct  18 

Oct.  21 

875 

391 

415 

431 

447... 

461-2  

#61-2  





Without  addition 
of  a  neutralizing 


-■  d  juice 
from  same. 


Glucosi-  (ilucose. 


Percent.     Per 


Neutralised  by— 


Gives — 


5.77 
4.62 


4.14 
4. 1'0 

4.  18 

5.  42 
5.42 

r>.  12 


6.00 

6.10 


4.10 

4.  72 


5.  i: 


:..  86 


12  cc.  fr,  alk. . . 
alk... 
alk    .. 

l  cc.  bisulphite 

: 

alk    .. 


- 

6.60 
7.31 

G.  71 

5.  17 
5.11 


Per  cent 

3.41 

3.23 

3.  G5 

.76 

too 

5.03 
5.  11 
4.95 


Number. 

mic- 
tion, - 

Mill  Juice  0                   lips. 

< 

\ 

.  181 

.  181 
.  181 
,164 

JH 

Dtral- 
malic 

,  Inoose, 

- 



1 

7.-J1 

• 

1    It 

IS.  l 

it  1 
it  1 

: 



' 



Nolle 











' 





.088 





Ill  <  hips 

6.41  ,           4.27 

3.94 

14.4 

11330    N".  i  I 3 


18 


Diffusion  juices  to  October  1. 


Number. 

Date. 

Solids. 

Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

13 

16 

23 

25 

27 

29 

32 

38 

46 

51 

57 

64 

69 

77 

91 

94 

98 

101 

104 

108 

114 

118 

122 

Sept.    9... 
11... 
13... 
14... 
14... 
15... 
16... 
17... 
18... 
18... 
19... 
20... 
20... 
21  . . 
23... 
24... 
24... 
25... 
25... 
28... 
99... 
29... 
30... 

Per  cent. 

6.8 

8.5 

9.3 

11.7 

11.2 

12.6 

10.8 

10.4 

11.9 

11.7 

11.8 

10.8 

12.3 

11.8 

11.8 

9.2 

10.7 

9.6 

8.9 

9.7 

12.6 

12.0 

14.8 

Per  cent. 
3.29 
3.94 
6.50 
7.47 
6.17 
6.36 
5.71 
5.62 
6.59 
6.94 
5.66 
4.37 
5.59 
5.76 
6.78 
4.81 
4.53 
6.06 
4.13 
5.68 
6.76 
6.37 
7.22 

Per  cent. 
1.39 
1.99 
1.66 
1.53 
1.42 
2.84 
1.82 
1.66 
3.18 
1.82 
2.85 
3.36 
3.46 
2.89 
2.19 
1.84 
2.23 
1.52 
1.28 
1.67 
2.92 
2.65 
4.16 

11.77 

5.75 

2.32 

Purity,  48.93. 
Diffusion  juices  October  1  to  close. 


Number.        Date.        Solids.      Sucrose.    Glucose. 


128 

132 
189 
134 
L39 

140 
111 
149 

152 

1  .">."> 
160 
hi:; 
L66 
171 
IT'.t 
1 82 
L83 
1st. 
201, 
205, 
•J  if, 
217 
'J.'!) 
287 
244 
'J  J  7 
254 

L'»il 

262 

271. 
290 
:;iin 
818. 
B27 

828 

839 
350 
857 
871. 

:i7:s 
:;-'.) 

104. 


Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Ocl 
(i,  i 
<»■  t 
Oct 

Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct 

Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct 

Oct. 

Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct 
Oct. 

Oct. 
Ocl. 
Oct. 

Oct, 

Oct. 

Ocl. 


Per  cent. 
14.8 
13.7 
13.9 
13.2 
12.9 
12.7 
12.9 
9.8 
9.6 
11.5 
L2.8 
13.0 
12.2 
12.2 
13.8 
12.7 
12.2 
12.  2 
12.6 
ll.s 
12.2 
11.8 

10.  s 

1 1.  2 
L0.8 
10.3 
10.9 
18.1 

12.  2 
11.9 

VI.  7 

11.6 

!t.  1 

n.r, 

11.2 
11.7 

10. 8 

'..  !t 
in    1 

10.9 

7.2 

9.5 


Per  cent. 
8.60 
7.01 
7.68 
7.18 
5.89 
6.51 
6.47 
4.80 
4.71 
5.42 
0.  21 
6.44 
5.78 
6.03 
6.13 
5.  46 
5.  19 
4.  50 
.-,.  In 
5.29 
4.04 
4.08 
4.06 
4.  K(J 
I    lo 


32 
58 

7(i 

82 

44 
B0 

92 

.'!.  24 
B  ii 
4.96 
5.  51 

4.  :ih 

4.  OH 

4.  88 

3.  72 
2.  38 


Per  cent. 
3.25 
3.32 
3.10 
2.75 
3.96 
3.65 
3.52 
2.38 
2.47 
3.28 

3.  :u 
8,  58 
3.40 
3.23 
4.41 
I.  83 

4.  211 
4.41 
4.  12 

3.  «.ts 

1.  <;:» 
1.07 
3.  45 
3.  30 
3.43 
3.  15 
8,  Of 
:i.  ;iti 
4.06 
3.41 

2.  14 

3.  54 

2.  n 

2.  88 

2.  !<4 

3.  OK 
2.  90 

2.  51 

2.  94 

B.91 


19 


Diffusion  juices  October  1  to  close — Continued. 


410 Oct.  21 

417 Oct.  21 

428 0 

430 Oct.  22 

435 Oct.  22 

441 Oct.  22 

444 Oct.  23 

Oct.  23 

468 Oct.  26 

478 Oct.  27 

Average 


11.2 

3.  97 

3.98 

11.8     ! 

3.77 

4.44 

10.6     ! 

4.41 

3.31 

1  ).  1 

3.95 

3.37 

10.3 

3.91 

3.43 

10.3 

3.76 

lo.  1 

10.1 

3.41 

3.63 

2.  93 

2.97 

7.8 

2.91 

2.55 

1LM 

4.90 

3.39 

Filtered  oarbonatated  juices  before  October  1. 


Number. 

Sucrose.    Glucose.     Solids. 

18 



33 

41 

47 

67  

78. 

Ave 

'  Per  cent.    Per  cent.     Per  cent. 
Sept.  11             4.06             1.28             8.8 
Sept.  13             li.  !I4              1.04           10.5 
Sept.  16           ."-.  'JO           1.50          1L1 
Sept.  17                                    .94            11.4 
Sept  18                            2.39          10.9 
Sept  20                               1.82           1H.7 
Sept.'Jl             4.59              1.24              9.9 

5.56             1.46           10.47 

Filtered  oarbonatated  juia  lemberSQ. 


194... 
210... 
826. .. 

848... 

252... 

301 .. . 
847  .. 

42H.  . 

451.... 
489.... 


Oct 
Oct 

(i.  i 

O.I 
M,  t 

Oct 

Oct. 

Oct 
Oct 

O,  r. 
Oct. 

Oot 


7 


5.07 

A.  7.". 

4.  72 

5. '.»:> 

I.  7!» 
».  4i» 


3.  11 
3.(17 

2.  so 

2.  42 

3.  22 

2.17 
8.31 

2.  H<  i 

:!  ti 
2.94 


13.0 
12.4 

12.0 
10.6 

11.9 

12.  t; 
12.7 
11.8 
11.6 

in. -J 

11.  1 
11.  4 
11.2 


11.80 


Sitljjliiu  i  il  inn  >  \obi  I    I  . 


Efamber. 

Saoroee. 

Olaooee. 

Solid*. 

1 

1 



I.7H 

ll.C. 

Sept  17 

12  7 

.... 

Sept  18 

11    J 

Sept.  20 

in.  7 

Sept  21 

1.24 



10.6 

1.65 

11.15 

20 

Sulphured  juices  after  September  30. 


195  Oct.  9 

211   Oct.  8 

225 Oct.  9 

236 Oct.  10 

253 Oct.  11 

264. Oct.  12 

302 Oct.  14 

336... Oct.  16 

344   Oct.  17 

362  Oct.  18 

383 Oct.  19 

401 Oct.  20 

421 Oct.  21 

440 Oct.  22 

452   Oct.  23 

470 Oct.  28 

Average 


6.73 

3.11 

13.2 

5.89 

:;.  17 

12.6 

5.09 

3. 12 

12.2 

4.78 

2.  03 

10.6 

4.78 

2.54 

11.0 

6.20 

2.97 

12.7 

5.87 

3.50 

13.2 

5.89 

2.57 

12.5 

6.  18 

2.  44 

12.4 

5.12 

2.35 

10.8 

4.58 

2.14 

9.7 

4.12 

3.54 

11.2 

4.54 

3.53 

11.7 

4.89 

3.04 

11.4 

3.90 

3.48 

10.8 

3.23 

2.31 

7.8 

5.11 

2.90 

11.5 

Waste  waters,  before  October  1. 


Number. 

Date. 

Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

20 

Sept.  13 
Sept  19 
Sept.  21 
Sept.  24 
Sept.  28 
Sept.  29 
Sept,  30 

Per  cent. 

0.00 

.24 

.16 

"".67 
.31 

Per  cent. 
0.00 

58 

76 

99 

111... 

117 

.10 
.25 

.26 
.14 

124 

.27 

.15 

waters,  after  September  30. 


136 

142 

145... 

153 

156 

161 

164 

167 

172 

186 

187 

188 

Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct. 
Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct 

Oct. 
Oct, 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Ool 

Oct. 

Oct, 

Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
O.  t. 

Oct 

Ol   1 

Od 

Oct. 

n.  i 
on 
o,  t 

2 
3 
3 
4 

4 
5 
5 
5 
5 
6 
6 
6 
6 
8 
8 
9 
'.' 
10 
11 
11 
12 
12 
VI 
14 
11 
15 

15 

16 

17 
IK 

10 

22 

a 

.17 
.43 
.15 
.91 
.43 
.30 
.35 
.48 
.21 
.14 
.08 
.08 
.11 
.21 
.19 

Trace. 

.15 
.11 

Tl.lCC. 

.10 
.  20 

.10 
.10 

in 
.  11 
.62 

1    I.I.    .'. 
Tl.UT. 

None. 

1    1   .1.    ■' 

Trace. 

189 

202 

208     . 

218 

21!) 

230... 

248... 

250 

266  

266 



299      . 

808 

818 

.'{.'(0 

881 

B48 

:ihi  .. 

mi. 



A  \  .-i  , 

1 1  .ic. 

.17 

21 

Waste  chips,  before  October  1. 


X  umber. 

Date.       Glucose. 

Per  cent. 

26 

..    Sept.   14 

.15 

35 

t.    16 

.20 

40 

.       Sept.     17 

.10 

52 

pt   18 

.10 

56 

.     Sept   19 

.10 

81 

. .   Sept.  21 

.23  1 

92 

..  Sept  a 

.20  ; 

106 

pt    25 

.38  i 

110 

it   28 

.29 

116 

.     Sept  29 

.63 

.24 

Waste  chips,  after  Septemfo 


137 

143 

144 

L54  

157 

162 

165 

168 

173 

190 

191 

192  



203. 



220 

221 



251   

256  

272 

Oct      2 

Oct.        3 
Oct.       8 
Oct.        4 
Oct        4 

Oct      5 
Oct      6 

Oct 

Oct.      5 
Oct.        7 
Oct        7 
Oct       7 
Oct.        7 
Oct      8 
Oct      8 
Oct.      9 
Oct      8 
Oct     10 
Oct.     11 

Oct.       11 

on.    i-' 

OCt     12 

Oct.     12 

Oct.      14 

Oct.      14 

Oct     15 

o.t.      L6 
Oct.      17 

Oct.       \» 
Oct.       lit 
Oct.      L'O 

Oct.     2] 
Oct     22 

.40 
1.20 
.71 
.79 
1.11 
1.52 
.70 
.85 
.65 
.65 
.40 
.34 
.30 

.:j5 

22 

.41 
.42 

.  22 
.  62 

.30 
.41 
.39 

.18 
.24 

.30 

.  1 J 

»1 

274    

275   

298 

804  

814  









3% 

418 

436 

454 

.52 

Si  mi-sirup. 


Number. 


Solids 


P<  f  .     .    ' 


Sept.  20  23.02 

Oct  7  60.1          82.10          17 

1  •■  :  lo  5L  1           27.60          l.v 

o.t.  11  80.0           I 

Oct  14                                                           11 

. o.t.  15                  I          27.90           17 

819   f.  i  8  81.70  12 

Oct  17                                                              IK 

•',!  I"                                                                              111, 

Ocl  12 

Oct  i- 

(i,i  L0  i, 

11.94 


18 

'.Ml 

90 


1.  1660 
1.  2910 

l    |6<  i 


22 

.Vasse-cuites. 


Number. 

Wal 

Solids. 

Ash. 

Sucrose. 

Reducing 

Din 

Inversion. 

sugar. 

12  

40     

Pi  /•  cent 

18.98 

19.41 

19.34 

16.69 
35.  14 

17.77 
22.  21 
14.  58 

10.94 

Per  cent. 

80.59 
81.91 
80.66 
82.40 

64.86 

82.  83 
77.  79 
85.42 

83.  06 

Per  cent. 
04.35 
05.09 
04.6 

08.4 

04.  94 

05,  40 
04.45 
05.  03 

05.  43 
03.16 

/'.  /•  cent. 
40.  20 
40.00 
43.60 
44.40 
44.  20 
42.  60 

Per  cent. 

41.14 
45.82 
16.  92 

14.  Bfl 

I 

22,  72 
2L  51 

45  

24.  94 

24,  75 

92   

21.93 
21  98 



:;:;■'          

47.10               18.73 

45. 7d               46.97 

40.92 

17.  50 

-   -                50.42 

19.53 



350   



20.83 

20.  33 

21.  19 

10.  50 



19.75 

80.  35 

5.  07 

44.  45                46.  26 

21.39 

Molasses. 


4G83           

26.42 

73.58 

.0539 

32.80 
32.60 
35.  10 
33.50 
30.3 

34.48 

21.33 

42.  87 

18.07 
36.  72 
23.12 

81.93 
63.  28 

.0540 

.  0502 

36.94 

37.  17 
33.41 

20.83 





28.10 

Sample  of  sugar :  Sucrose,  98.16;  glucose.  .<>7. 

Acidity  in  juices. 

[Calculated  as  malic  acid.l 


Mill  juices. 

Diffusion  ju 

No. 

Date. 

Per  cent. 

No. 

Date. 

Per  cent 

179     Oct.      8 

.  280 

Oct      7 

180     Oct.      8 

.  255 

201     Oct.     B 

.174 

213     Oct.     9 

.21)1 

210      Oct.       9 

232      Oct    Hi 

229     Oct.    10 

.  273 

212      Oct     11 

.  188 

211       Oot     11 

.  205 

'lit.    12 

.  147 

327      Oct.     10 

Oot  io 

356     Oct    18 

355      Oct.    IS 

371     Oot    1'.' 

.147 

372      Oct.    19 

.  120 

417      Oct    21 

.  161 

412       Oct.    21 

.134 

Oct   -J-' 

429     Oot    22 

.  134 
.  117 

453     Oct   2:: 

272 

Means. 

.189 

Aciditi/    in    1 


Per 

.•lit 

Oel.       Ill 

Per  cut. 

1-1 

10.-, 

Sept  25 

2::  1 

107 

Sep! 

..•>•! 

Oet.      I!! 

pi 

115 

Sept 

Oct    if 

101 

S.pl 

210 

:;il 

0,1       17 

.  173 

129 

Oct      1 

211 

Oet.      IS 

.  197 

1:::, 

Oet.        2 

197 

Oet.      l'.l 

.  164 

151 

u.  ,          4 

181 

891 

197 

...1.       7 

101 

11:; 

O.I.      21 

.  197 

Ocl 

181 

1:1 

L8I 

Oel.        9 

117 

Oel.     23 

Ocl 

104 

161 

oei.    ■_■•; 

101 

0.1     10 

2:01 

47  1 

Oct.     27 

211 

Oct.      11 



270 

Oet.      12 

2  If, 

' 

23 


Moisture  in  chips  anc 

bagasse 

Fresh  chips. 

Exhausted 
chips. 

Freshbagas.se.       ™tod 

No. 

Per  cent, 
moisture. 

1 
Ho.     Percent, 
moisture. 

-.-        Per  cent. 
"          moisture. 

No. 

Per  cent, 
moisture. 

206 
234 

71.59 

74    18 

203           89.58 

99R             88  35 

238           75.  82  1     239           89.  68 
246           77. 80       251           89. 76 
270           73  67 



286           74. 53 
289           75. 33 
297           74. 60 
308           73.70 
325           73. 58 
341           73.  10 
354           7G.  37 
876           77. 57 
391           78. 15 
413            71.77 
401            76. 36 

298           88. 94 
314           88.62 
329           90. 43 
345           88.86 
359           87. 57 
379           84.89 
396           86. 41 
419           86.73 

367 

402 
422 

57. 79       368 
62. 91       385 

56. 94       42:; 

67.73 
66.57 
63.74 
63.06 

4:il            76.15 

454           87. 71 

447 

Means. 

74.95 

88.31 

58.73 

65.28 

Table  skewing  weight  of  tun  -cakes. 


No. 

Pounds. 

No. 

Pounds. 

1 

26 

7 

21 

2 

24 

8 
9. 

24 

3 

24 

24 

4 

24 

10 

23 

5 

25 

11 

24 

6 

25 

12 

24.3 

Moist ,i,  m  cake. 


No. 


278 
MS 

842 

349 


Per  cent 

MH»i-t  111  .-. 


4:..  71 


-    '      moisture. 


369 

411 

421 
41.. 

M.  U 


41.  11 


[ in  dry  rata 


Sit  i:il 

Ho 

in. lit. -i 

<  '.u  In. 11  11 

.1.  id  1  '•  l 

insoluble 

and  silica. 

2.  1  - 

L0] 

l.tiT 

I  M.u  ami 
alumina. 

:>  hi 
:s.  15 

in: 

1..V, 

Lime. 

48.  :n 
41.90 

Phosphoric 
acid  r  0 

Sulphuric 

and  SOi. 

Vrrct 

Total 

19.  14 

11..-- 

.71 
.76 

i'.rct. 

1.20 

4647 

.90 

1.  14 

......  m 

W  1.25 

1" 

1 

24 


[In  the  organic  matter.] 


Number.  1  Sucrose. 

Nitrogen 
albumen. 

Water  in 
original 

4589 

4650 

464G 

4647 

4648 

4649 

4660  

4687 

4657 

4658 

4639 

4675 

Perct. 

.00 

.00 

1.90 

2.20 

2.43 

Per  ct.        Per  ct. 
.  74             2.  66 

.83    

2.83             4.65 
3.  77             2. 15 
3.08    

Per  ct. 
39.07 

"  'is.' 24 
45.61 
47.06 
45.63 
52.84 
45.98 
44.54 
48.88 
44.11 



•_'.  41 
.93 
.07 
3.12 
2.21 
1.50 
2.41 

5.02             5.70 

.  83             1.  08 

Trace.                 .  90 

3.  00              .  91 

4.  56             1.  59 

3.  50             1.  08 

4.  05               .  33 

DISCUSSION   OF   THE  DATA. 

It  is  evident  from  the  foregoing  analyses  of  limestones  that,  with  few 
exceptions,  the  quality  of  stone  used  was  exceedingly  poor.  The  impor- 
tance of  good  stone  is  at  once  evident,  since  bad  stone  is  liable  to  "hang- 
up" in  the  furnace,  give  a  poor  quality  of  lime  for  the  defecation,  and  a 
weak  gas  for  the  carbonatations. 

The  quality  of  the  gas  employed  during  the  season  was  fairly  good. 
At  first,  by  feeding  too  much  coke  with  the  limestone,  large  quantities 
of  carbonic  oxide  were  produced.  The  carbonic  dioxide  formed  at  the 
bottom  of  the  furnace  was  reduced  to  CO  by  the  white-hot  coke  above. 
After  the  laborers  learned  the  proper  manipulation  of  the  kiln  no  far- 
ther trouble  was  experienced  from  this  cause.  The  carbonic  oxide  was 
always  accompanied  by  a  peculiarly  unpleasant  odor,  and  made  the  la- 
borers about  the  carbonatation  pans  dizzy  and  ill.  One  of  them  tainted 
from  the  effects  of  the  gas  on  the  day  it  contained  the  largest  quantity 
of  carbonic  oxide. 

The  percentage  of  C02  in  the  gas  from  time  to  time  during  the  manu- 
facturing season  is  shown  by  the  following  analyses: 


No. 

Date. 

CO*. 

Remarks. 

1 

S.  ],t.  28 

1I.IM) 

2 

Sept  29 

L8.00 

3 

Sept  :;<' 

L5.50 

4 

Oct     2 

L0.06 

Horning. 

5 

Oct      2 

Noon. 

6 

o.t.      2 

u  0 

Night 

7 

o.  t       :; 

21.0 

8 

Oct       4 

Mel  ning. 

!> 

Oct       4 

20.  <i 

a  iiri  aoon. 

10 

(  i,  t 

22,  0 

11 

Oct     '"■ 

28.  ii 

12 

Oct       '•> 

22.  B 

13 

()(•(.    Ill 

14 

Oct    M 

L5 

« >,  i      L8 

i:..  ii 

It  is  seen  thai  When  the  men  bad  learned  I  lie  proper  use  oi'  the  furnace 

the  percentage  of  <'<>.  *as  kept   pretty  constantly  above  20.    The  an- 


25 

alysis  No.  15  was  made  a  day  after  the  tires  in  the  furnaces  had  been 
stopped.  It  showed  that  when  internal  combustion  alone  was  practiced 
the  percentage  of  C02  rapidly  decreased.  A  gas  containing  from  20  to 
25  per  cent.  0O2  is  well  suited  to  carbonatation. 

VOLUME   OF   GAS  EMPLOYED. 

The  double-acting  pump  for  supplying  gas  to  the  pans  had  the  fol- 
lowing capacity: 

Inches. 

Diameter  of  cylinder IT. 5 

Length  of  stroke 21.25 

.  The  mean  rate  of  motion  for  the  pump  was  40  per  minute  ;  hence  the 
total  quantity  of  gas  delivered  per  minute  was  236  cubic  feet. 

The  volume  of  C02  furnished  per  minute  is  obtained  by  multiplying 
the  above  number  by  the  mean  percentage  of  0O2  in  the  gas,  viz,  23G 
X  .20  =  47.2  cubic  feet. 

In  metric  terms  47.2  cubic  feet  are  equal  to  1.33G  liters. 

With  gas  of  a  good  quality,  say  25  per  cent.  CO*,  a  pump  of  the  ca- 
pacity described  would  easily  furnish  gas  for  working  200  tons  of  cane 
per  day. 

DOUBLE   CARBONATATION. 

A  few  experiments  were  made  to  determine  whether  or  not  double 
oarbonatations could  be  practiced  with  sorghum  juices. 

It  was  found  that  if  from  two  to  four  tenths  grains  of  lime  per  liter 
were  left  in  the  juice  of  the  first  carbonatation  the  nitration  took  place 
more  readily,  and  the  juice  was  somewhat  purer. 

In  double  carbonatation  some  additional  lime  is  added  to  the  hot 
juice  from  the  filter-presses,  and  the  injection  of  C02  continued  until 
the  liquid  is  neutral.  Pans  were  put  up  and  this  method  given  a  trial, 
lint  with  a  sugar-juice  as  rich  in  glucose  as  that  afforded  by  sorghum, 
this  procedure  is  not  applicable. 

For  convenience,  and  to  note  the  effects  ot'a  hea\\  frost,  the  analytical 
data  relating  to  the  juices.  &c.,  arc  given  in  two  parts,  viz,  those  obtained 
before  October  l  in  the  first  part,  and  those  after  September  30  in  the 
second.     It  is  believed  that  every  analysis  made  has  been  recorded,  since 

in  the  circumstances  arising  from  the  result  of  the  experiments  even 
those  which  seem  to  have  do  value  have  been  considered  worthy  of 
finding  a  place. 

MILL-. JIM   I 

The  samples  of  cane  expressed  by  the  small  mill  were  taken  without 
any  purpose  of  illustrating  an\  theory.  Tin- object  in  selecting  them 
was  to  gel  as  fair  an  idea  as  possible  of  the  character  of  the  cane  enter- 
ing the  factory. 

A  study  of  the  tables  reveals  the  most  surprising  variations  in  the 
com  posit  inn  of  the  canes,  van  ing  from  a  quality  «>l  hi  I   produc- 

ing value  t«>  one  worthless  for  this  purpose. 

As  has  already  been  pointed  out.  the  generally  poor  character  of  the 


26 


cane  is  due  to  much  of  it  being  overripe,  especially  in  the  case  of  the 
Amber  variety.  But  the  chief  trouble  arose  from  delay  in  handling 
the  cane  due  to  defects  in  the  machinery  already  pointed  out.  In  some 
cases,  however,  canes  cut  for  two  or  three  days,  when  kept,  for  ex- 
ample, in  the  middle  of  a  car-load,  from  changes  of  temperature,  pre- 
served their  sugar  contents  remarkably  well.  In  general,  however,  the 
results  of  the  work  emphasized  the  importance  of  a  prompt  handling 
of  the  canes  after  they  have  been  cut. 

With  such  canes  as  arc  indicated  by  the  analyses  of  the  mill-juices  it 
would  be  hopeless  to  expect  to  manufacture  sugar  profitably  by  any 
process  whatever. 

The  amount  of  glucose  per  hundred  of  sucrose  in  the  first  series  of 
analyses  is  3S.HI ;  after  September  30  it  is  47.72. 

DIRECT  EXTRACTION   OF   THE   CHIPS. 

The  determination  of  the  sugars  in  the  expressed  juice  of  the  cane 
is  not  a  satisfactory  method  of  determining  the  sugar  in  the  cane  itself. 
Did  all  canes  contain  the  same  percentage  of  juice,  and  were  all  the  juice 
both  that  expressed  and  that  remaining  in  the  canes,  of  the  same  coin- 
position,  no  other  method  of  analysis  would  be  necessary.  Since  neither 
of  these  conditions  obtain,  however,  in  actual  experience,  I  was  led  to 
try  some  other  process.  The  one  finally  adopted  is  described  in  full  in 
the  Bulletin  de  FAssociation  des  Chimistes,  and  published  in  Paris  No- 
vember 15,  1884. 

Fresh  sorghum-canes  were  cut  into  fine  chips  and  treated  for  an  hour 
in  a  closed  bottle  with  water  at  the  boiling  temperature. 

The  analyses  of  the  liquid  obtained  showed  that  the  chips  had  the 
following  composition : 


No. 

Sucrose  in 
cane,  by 

din  (  1 
tiination. 

Sucrose     i  n 
cane,  calcu- 
lated    from 
composition 
of  the  juice, 
89  per  oent. 

Glucose 
in  cane, 
direct 

Glucose 
m  cane, 
08  Lo  U- 
lated 

1 
2 

*8.  71 

(7.  <J* 

Per  cent. 
7.82 

1 
1.95 
1.84 

• 

2.  <>7 
i.  96 

1 

•  Mean  of  Bis  :in  \A 

i  Mean  of  four  anal j  n 

It  is  seen  by  these  analyses  thai  the  results  obtained  by  the  two  meth- 
ods agree  very  closely. 

A  Large  Dumber  of  experiments  has  also  shown  that  equally  as  satis- 
factory results  are  obtained  with  sugarcane. 

When,  however,  in  the  ease  of  sorghum,  the  canes  have  already  begun 
to  deteriorate,  and  the  sucrose  is  already  partly  inverted,  it  is  found  thai 

this  method  of  analysis  causes  a  considerable  inversion.      A  similar  in- 
version, although  to  a  less  extent,  ta^es  place  in  the  cells  of  the  battery. 

After  the  Close  Of  the  season  a  comparative  Study  was  made  of  the 
amount  of  this  inversion,  and  the  results  of  these  studies  show  clearly 


27 


that  the  trouble  is  due  to  the  acids  of  the  caue  chiefly  to  those  formed 
by  the  partial  fermentation  which  has  produced  the  inversion  of  the 
sugar,  or  else  the  increased  susceptibility  of  the  sucrose  remaining  to 
the  inverting  action  of  the  organic  acids. 
The  results  of  these  analyses  are  given  under  "analytical  data.77 

DIRECT   ESTIMATION   OF   SUGAR  IN   CHIPS. 

The  samples  were  taken  as  before  described.  Since  only  a  small 
quantity  could  be  used  in  each  analysis  (50  grams,  circa),  single  results 
are  not  strictly  mean  indications  of  the  content  of  the  whole  in  sugar. 
The  means,  however,  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  composition  of  the  chips. 

The  extraction  of  tin;  sugar  was  made  in  the  following  way  : 

The  weighed  sample  of  fresh  chips  (48.9  grans)  is  placed  in  a  strong 
extraction-llask  and  water  added  until  the  total  volume  (marked  on  neck 
of  flask)  is  305  cubic  cent i meters.  The  live  cubic  centimeters  in  excess 
of  300  is  the  allowance  made  for  the  liber  of  the  cane,  which,  for  the 
quantity  taken,  amounts  to  live  grams,  and  occupies  a  volume  of  about 
5  cubic  centimeters.  The  bottle  is  then  tightly  stoppered  and  heated 
at  100°  for  an  hour,  being  frequently  shaken.  The  method  is  based 
on  the  supposition  that  by  this  treatment  complete  diffusion  has  taken 
place,  and  that  the  free  liquor  and  that  in  the  pores  of  the  pulp  have 
the  same  composition.  The  liquor  is  then  filtered,  100  cubic  centime- 
ters representing  16.3  grams  of  the  original  chips,  treated  witli  acetate 
of  lead,  made  up  to  110  cubic  centimeters,  and  polarized.  After  adding 
one  tenth  the  reading  gives  the  percentage  of  Sucrose  present. 

A  discussion  of  the  errors  attending  this  method  of  analysis  will  be 
given  further  along. 

Following  are  the  numbers  obtained  by  this  method  of  analysis,  and 
also  the  provisional  correction  which  has  been  adopted. 

This  method  rests  on  the  assumption  that  the  liquor  within  and  with- 
out the  chips  has  the  sa constitution.     This  assumption  is  probably 

incorrect   when  the  canes  have  deteriorated. 

Subjected  to  an  analytical  test  the  following  data  were  obtained : 

m 

Olw.  . 


B 
liquor. 


chips. 


■         i 


7   81 

6.  Ifl 
7.31 

li.  71 
I    -I 

;>.  17 


:..  (ii 


Grltiooec  i" 
liquor. 


-i 


4.  10 

8.81 

I  li 
:t.  41 
1.20 
:t.  28 


obips. 


i 


8.07 


i.  n 


M.  5.78 

■Ill   tllr  .  hip 


28 

It  is  seen  from  the  above  data  that  the  mean  total  sugar  in  the  free 
liquor  equals  9.44  per  cent,  and  in  the  juice  expressed  from  chips  from 
same  equals  0.43  per  cent. 

This  method  of  extraction  with  sorghum  chips  is,  therefore,  open  to 
the  objection  of  inverting  a  portion  of  the  sucrose  when  the  canes  are 
not  fresh.  It  is  seen  that  4  per  cent,  of  sucrose  present  has  been  changed 
into  reducing  sugar.  As  the  second  of  the  analyses  shows,  this  change 
has  taken  place  entirely  without  the  cell,  the  composition  of  the  juice 
remaining  in  the  cells  being  sensibly  the  same  as  that  of  the  normal 
juice  of  the  cane. 

These  results  are  of  extreme  interest.  They  show  most  conclusively 
that  in  the  process  of  diffusion  at  a  high  temperature  there  is  a  notable 
inversion  of  the  sucrose  when  the  canes  are  not  in  proper  condition. 
Further  than  this,  it  is  shown  that  this  inversion  takes  place  in  the 
sugar  in  the  free  liquor  and  not  in  the  sugar  remaining  in  the  liber  of 
the  cane.  In  nearly  every  case  the  free  liquor  was  poorer  in  sucrose  and 
richer  in  glucose  than  that  in  the  pnlp. 

To  correct  the  acidity  in  the  battery,  and  thus  avoid  inversion,  the 
following  methods  were  tried: 

(1)  The  limed  juice  used  in  the  carbonatation-tanks  was  added  to  the 
cell  of  fresh  chips  little  by  little  until  enough  was  used  to  neutralize 
the  acid.  Two  serious  objections  were  found  to  this  procedure  :  (a)  The 
proper  control  of  the  quantity  to  be  added  was  impossible.  The  juice 
would  at  times  become  strongly  alkaline  and  highly  colored;  (/>)  the 
lime  seemed  to  prevent  the  extraction  of  the  sugar.  The  total  solids 
of  the  diffusion  juice  under  this  treatment  ran  down  rapidly  from  11  per 
cent,  to  4  per  cent.  This  was  due  either  to  the  coagulated  albuminous 
matters  preventing  the  osmotic  action  or  to  the  formation  of  an  insolu- 
ble lime  sucrate,  which  remained  in  the  chips.  The  method,  therefore, 
had  to  be  abandoned. 

(2)  Lime-water  was  added  to  the  tank  supplying  the  diffusion  battery 
in  such  proportions  as  to  furnish  alkali  enough  to  nearly  neutralize  the 
free  acidity  of  each  cell  Of 'chips.  This  water  entered  the  cell  next  to 
be  emptied  of  exhausted  chips.  All  the  lime  in  suspension  was  at  on<  e 
filtered  out,  and  that  in  solution  was   not    sufficient    to    neutralize    the 

acidity  in  tin'  cells  in  advance. 

Addition  Of  lime  bisulphite.  To  test  the  efficiency  of  lime  bi- 
sulphite in  preventing  inversion  during  extraction  it  was  added  to  the 
water  in  the  feedtank  for  the  battery  in  quantities  equal  to  one-half 
gallon  lor  each  diffusion.  It  was  also  used  in  the  extraction  llask  with 
the  results  to  follow  . 

(J)  The  addition  of  lreshl\  precipitated  carbonate  of  lime  to  the  ex- 
traction bottle    This  method  was  suggested  bj    Prof.   M.  Swenson. 

The  analyses  show  that  the  acidity  was  diminished   by  two  thirds,  and 

tin-  inversion  of  the  sucrose  largely  prevented  i>.\  the  treatment,     if  a 
few  pounds  of  such  a  carbonate  could  be  evenly  distributed  in  the 


29 

chips,  it  appears  reasonable  to  suppose  that  this  inversion  would  not 
take  place. 

Analytical  data  obtained  in  above  experiments. 


Exhausted 
Sucrose.     Glucose,    chips,   total 
.ars. 


Diffusion  juice  with  lime  in  cells  of  fresh  chips.. 

Compare  analyses  of  same  day  of  diffusion  juice 

before  the  addition  of  lime 

chips  used  same  day  : 

Ordinary  method.        

Expressed  juice  from  above 

With  alkaline  extraction,  NaO 


I 


Expressed  juice  from  same 

Mill  juice  from  fresh  chips  same  day. 


C.C5 

t;.  <;:. 

(i.  71 
8.82 


3.9] 

3.93 

3.  G5 
lost. 
3.48 


■iit. 
2.58 


.57 


Per  cent. 

The  diffusion  juice  from  diffusion  before  treatment  had  of  total  sugars 7.  03 

Exhausted  chips 51 

Total  sugar 8.  14 

The  diffusion  juice  from  chips  treated  with  lime: 

Total  Bngars 4. 41 

In  exhausted  chips 2.  58 


Total  sugar G.  1)9 

Whence  it  appears  that  by  the  coagulated  albumen  occluding  the 

pores  Of  the  cells  there  was  a  loss  of  about  2  per  cent,  of  sugar  and  in 
addition  a  small  loss  due  to  the  formation  of  a  lime  Bucrate. 

In  the  extraction  bottle,  when  the  alkalinity  was  produced  by  lime 
instead  of  soda,  this  loss  of  sugar  did  not  appear.  The  lime,  however, 
diminished  the  percentage  of  glucose  in  a  marked  degree.  This  is  shown 
by  the  following  analyses: 


Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

Per  cent. 

•  nt. 

ted  with  watej   

.".  77 

4.19 

Juice  from  the  chips 

0.  lo 

ted  with  lime  water 

.76 

Juice  from  the  chips 

(i.  tin 

nut  determined. 

Diffusion  juice  made  h\  adding  lime  to 

supply  tank  ol  batterj  : 

3.31 

nd  

1.41 

Third.  Diffusionjuia  with  bi-sulphite 

added  t<>  aupplj  tank,  half  gallon  for 

each  <  (  U 

:;.  K 

3.43 

1           bi-sulphite  in  extraction  ilask 
the  follow  mil;  data  were  obtained  : 

Mill  juice  from  ti.  sh  chips    

.:.  17 

Ordinal  j 

•I  u  i  <  •                                    above 

:,  i;i 

1.  II 

ii  u  nh  addition  of  l  oo. 

in  >ul|iii!t«  tn  cnh  bot  ii"' 

Juii  i                    .in  chips  of 

Usual  inel    o 

' 

• 

30 

Id  these  two  cases  there  was  an  apparent  inversion  of  20  per  cent  of 
the  sucrose.  Another  trial  with  better  chips  gave  the  following  re- 
sults : 


Sucrose.    Glucose. 


Chips  treated  in  tbe  usual  way 

Treated  alter  addition  of  20  cc,   one- 
tenth  alkali  

(In  this  case  the  inversion  -was  only 
1  per  cent.) 
Another  trial   with  very  poor  and  sour 
chips: 

By  direct  method. 

With  1  ccCaCos 

Sulphite 

Means 

(Showing  an  apparent  inversion  of 
10  per  cent.) 

Same  chips  with  an  excess  of  CaCo3 

(Showing  an  apparent  inversion  of 
3  per  cent) 


Per  cent. 
6.  65 


G.7J 


Per  cent. 
3.93 


3.65 


4.51 
5.11 
5.11 
5.11 


4.68 


5.47 
5.68 
4.95 
5.33 


5.03 


Taking  all  the  data  into  consideration,  it  appears  to  be  fair  to  assume 
that  the  inversion  during  the  extraction  in  the  flask  was  not  more  than 
5  per  cent,  of  the  sucrose  present,  while  during  the  first  of  the  season 
it  was  doubtless  much  less.  A  strong  corroboration  of  the  justice  of 
this  allowance  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  purity  of  the  chipsanalyzed 
up  to  October  1,  with  the  correction  noted,  is  nearly  exactly  the  same 
as  that  of  the  mill  juices. 

In  the  diffusion  battery,  where  the  temperature  was  kept  at  about 
70°  C,  the  inversion  was  not  so  great. 

In  any  case,  however,  these  analyses  can  only  be  accepted  provis- 
ionally. The  reliable  analyses  are  those  of  the  mill  and  diffusion  juices. 
Since  the  results  for  the  chips,  however,  agree  so  closely  with  those 
known  to  he  correct,  they  can  be  accepted  for  all  practical  purposes. 

Since  the  extraction  in  a  flask  does  not  afford  ;i  direct  method  of  de- 
termining the  t<»t;il  soluble  solids  in  the  chips,  this  must  be  done  by  cal- 
culation. 

For  this  purpose  the  same  ratio  between  glucose  and  other  sub 
Stances  not  sugar  in  solution  is  taken  as  thai  existing  in  the  corre- 
sponding mill  juices. 

Applying  this  principle,  we  find  that  up  to  October  1  the  following 

data  are  accessible. 

l'rr  i  int. 

Glucose  in  mill  juices 4.01 

Solid*  ii  hi  sugar  in  mill  juices 3,06 

Ral Loj  1  glucose  to  .76. 

Glucose  in  <hi]»s 3.32 

igars  calculated  8. 58 

Sucrose -v-  8.85 

T<>t. 'it  loUfil  in  ship! 14,69 


31 


After  September  30  the  numbers  are  as  follows: 

Per  cent 

Glucose  in  mill  juices 4. 15 

Not  sugars  in  mill  juices 3.  75 


Ratio  1  glucose  to  .90  uot  sugars. 

Glucose  in  chips 4. 15 

Not  sugars  in  chips  (calculated) 3.  74 

Sucrose 7.01 


Total  solids 14.90 


Purity  of  chips  before  October  1 60.  5 

Purity  of  chips  after  September  30 47. 1 

SAMPLES  OF  CHIPS — CORRECTED   NUMBERS. 

A  full  discussion  of  the  data  obtained  by  the  analyses  of  the  chips 
entering  the  battery  has  already  been  given. 

Per  hundred  parts  of  sucrose  the  glucose  was  as  follows: 

Per  cent. 

Before  October  1 37. 52 

After  September  30 59. 18 

A  comparison  of  these  ratios  with  those  of  the  mill  juices  affords  a  con- 
firmation of  the  supposition  already  expressed  that  as  the  canes  deterio 
rate  the  rate  of  inversion  on  heating  in  a  closed  flask  is  greatly  increased. 

The  analyses,  therefore,  of  the  mill  juices  after  September  30  give  the 
only  fair  idea  of  the  character  of  the  cane  worked  up  to  October  15. 
Alter  that  date  the  analyses  of  t lie  juice  of  the  chips  pressed  out  by  the 
experimental  mill  gives  the  best  results  possible.  Sampled  as  the  chips 
were,  by  taking  an  eqnal  portion  from  each  cell  and  mixing  these  sub- 
samples  from  ten  cells  together,  the  juice  expressed  therefrom  is  a  fair 
representation  of  the  character  of  the  chips  entering  the  battery. 

JUICE    PEOM    chips    PASSED   IHBOl  Gffl  EXPERIMENT  \l.  Mil  l.. 

Prom  the  analyses  of  the  juices  it  is  seen  that  the  chips  entering  the 

battery  from  <  October  15  to  the  close  of  the  season  contained  ■ 

Pi i  (. nt. 

Sucrose i    i- 

Qlacoee :;.  :;i 

Glucose  per  hundred  of  sucrose 51.  (W 

Leaving  out  of  the  computation  the  analyses  of  the  chips  in  closed 

bottles,  the  following  mean  character  of  the   earn    for  the  entire  Season 

is  obtained : 


Total  suii.u. 

11   77 
1.:.  17 

Sn.  rose. 
1 

7.71 

i  ,1ik  ..*..•. 

Befoi  i  <  »•  tober  l  ... 

ah.  i  Ootobei  n  

M     a 

14  r,o 

7.  SB 

per  hundred  suen 

a  v. libit.;. •  •*!!-.. i   calculated  bi  taking  diflVrei 
cent.  =  2'J  noumU  p 


32 

It  will  be  interesting  to  compare  these  numbers  with  those  obtained 
at  Magnolia  Station,  La,,  in  1885,  and  recorded  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  pp. 
11, 12. 

Per  cent. 

Total  solids  in  cane 14. 22 

Total  sucrose  in  cane 10.  90 

Total  glucose  in  cane 92 

Mean  purity ?('>.(; 

Mean  glucose  per  100  sucrose 8. 44 

Available  sugar  calculated  as  before,  viz,  7.58  per  cent.  =151.6  pounds  per  ton. 

It  thus  clearly  appears  from  a  careful  study  of  the  analytical  data 
that  the  sorghum  canes  entering  the  battery  at  Fort  Scott  were  totally 
unfit  for  sugar-making.  Those  who  are  disposed  to  find  fault  with  the 
experiments  because  more  sugar  was  not  made  would  do  well  to  con- 
sider these  facts. 

No  known  process,  save  an  act  of  creation,  could  have  made  sugar 
successfully  out  of  such  material. 

If  nothing  better  than  this  can  be  obtained,  then  it  is  time  to  declare 
the  belief  in  an  indigenous  sorghum-sugar  industry  a  delusion.  This 
subject  will  be  mentioned  again  in  the  summary. 

A  general  review  of  the  data  connected  with  this  interesting  problem 
shows  that  with  fresh  chips  of  fine  quality,  the  natural  acidity  is  capa- 
ble of  producing  no  appreciable  inversion  during  treatment  in  an  ex- 
t raction  flask  or  while  under  pressure  in  the  battery.  With  the  dete- 
rioration of  the  cane,  however,  and  consequent  increasing  acidity,  this 
inversion  becomes  very  ureat.  In  other  words,  the  natural  acids  of  the 
caue,  such  as  malic  and  aconitic,  are  incapable  of  producing  any  appre 
ciable  inversion;  but  the  accidental  acid  (acetic)  which  comes  from  de- 
terioration may  cause  an  inversion  of  the  sucrose  in  a  most  marked 
degree.  The  most  practical  method  of  avoiding  this  danger  appears 
to  me  to  be  a  mechanical  contrivance  which  will  sprinkle  evenly  over 
the  entering  chips  2  or  3  pounds  of  fine  slaked  lime  or  double  that 
quantity  of  fine  calcimn  carbonate  to  each  cell  of  chips. 

As  has  already  been  noted,  every  Other  attempt  to  neutralize  the 
dangerous  acids  of  the  cane  in  a  practical  way  has  failed. 

DIFFUSION  JUICES. 

The  ratio  of  glucose  to  sucrose  (per  hundred)  in  the  diffusion  juices 

was  as  follows  : 

I'd-  ( nit. 

Before  October  1 39.95 

Alter  September  30 <;~-  ':> 

These  results  show  thai  before  frost  the  inversion  of  the  sucrose  in 

the  battery  was  nil,  hut  that  after  frost  this  inversion  was  very  marked. 

This  fact  is  also  emphasized  by  another,  viz,  that  before  frost  the  lull 

iv  mi  14 cells  was  used, bu!  that  afterwards 8, 10,  and  [%  ceils  only 


33 

were  employed.  Thus  before  frost  the  chips  in  the  battery  were  longer 
under  pressure  than  afterwards,  and  I  may  add  that  the  temperature 
was  also  higher.  These  facts  corroborate  the  statement  already  made 
that  when  once  the  process  of  inversion  has  commenced  it  goes  easily 
and  rapidly  forward  under  the  combined  influence  of  time  and  an  ele- 
vated temperature.  Before  such  deterioration  begins  a  temperature  of 
even  100°  C,  can  be  maintained  for  an  hour  without  notable  injury. 

A  further  fact  which  is  illustrated  by  the  analyses  of  the  diffusion 
juices  from  uninjured  canes  is  that  the  diminished  parity  is  produced 
solely  by  the  extraction  of  gum  and  chlorophyll,  chieliy  from  the  blades 
and  sheaths, and  that  this  injury  can  be  avoided  by  a  proper  cleaning  of 
tin   canes. 

With  clean  canes  and  those  in  which  the  sucrose  is  still  uninjured  no 
alkaline  substance  will  have  to  be  used  in  the  battery.  When,  how- 
eve]',  deteriorated  canes  are  used, some  such  application  will  be  neces- 
sary to  save  the  sucrose  from  further  inversion.  As  has  already  been 
pointed  out,  finely  powdered  lime  or  calcium  carbonate  evenly  distrib- 
uted over  the  chips  offers  the  simplest  solution  of  the  difficulty. 

CARBONATATED   JUICES. 

The  ratio  of  glucose  to  sucrose  (per  hundred)  was  as  follows: 

Per  cent 

Before  October  1 26.28 

After  September  30 57.40 

In  both  cases  we  find  a  marked  decrease  in  the  quantity  of  glucose. 
This  produces  a  corresponding  increase,  usually  reckoned  at  twice  the 
quantity  of  glucose  destroyed,  in  the  rendement  of  crystallized  sugar. 

If  the  resulting  molasses  could  be  preserved — and  this  can  be  done,  as 

will  be  pointed  out  later — this  increa.se  in  yield  could  be   used  without 

any  deleterious  effect  whatever.  The  analytical  data  confirm  the  opinion 
already  expressed,  and   agree  with  the  experience  of  sugar-makers 

Wherever  the  process  has  been  tried,  that  the  process  of  cai ■limitation 
gives  a  larger  yield  of  crystallizable  BUgar  than  can  be  obtained  by  any 

other  known  method  of  defecation. 

si  LPH1  RED   .M  Hi 

Comparing  again  the  glucose   per  hundred  of  Bucrose,  the  following 

data  are  obtained  : 

i'.  i  .-.nt. 

Before  October  l 

After Septembei  30 5.84 

In  the  first  part  of  the  season  the  treatment  with  sulphurous  acid 
shows  8  \  eiy  Blight  m>\  ersion  of  the  sucrose.  This  \\  as  accomplished  bj 
long  treatment  of  the  juice  with  the  acid,  in  the  hope  that  a  lighter- 
colored  sir  up  might  be  produced 

[n  the  second  balf  of  the  season  no  Inversion  took  place  from  thin 

source.      As  I  will  point  out  further  BjQ&g,  tin-  1 1  eat  men  t  of  the  juice  ..i 

M.330— No.  ll 3 


34 

this  point  by  sulphur  should  be  replaced  by  the  addition  of  phosphoric 
acid. 

The  sulphurous  acid  should  be  applied  afterwards,  but  in  the  double 
effect  and  strike  pans. 

WASTE   WATERS    AND   EXHAUSTED   CHIPS. 

The  amount  of  waste  water  was  very  small,  compressed  air  having 
been  uuiformily  used  to  drive  the  water  from  the  cell  next  to  be  dis- 
charged. 

In  the  estimation  of  the  sugar  the  sucrose  was  lirst  inverted  and  the 
whole  sugar  estimated  as  glucose.  The  mean  percentage  of  both  sugars 
in  the  waste  waters  after  September  30  was  .17  per  cent.  Since  the 
mean  glucose  per  hundred  of  sucrose  for  the  season  was  nearly  44,  the 
respective  quantities  of  sucrose  and  glucose  were  as  follows  : 

Per  cent 

Sucrose 11 

Glucose 00 

In  the  exhausted  chips  before  October  1,  by  the  same  method  of  cal- 
culation, there  was  of— 

Per  cent. 

Sucrose 10 

Glucose 08 

After  September  30  the  numbers  arc  as  follows : 

Per  cent. 

Sucrose ,35 

Glucose .17 

This  increase  in  the  sugar  left  in  the  chips  was  due  to  cutting  out  a 
large  portion  of  the  battery,  especially  during  the  first  week  in  October. 
At  this  time  often  only  six  cells  were  under  pressure,  but  the  result  is 
seen  in  the  large  quantities  of  total  sugar  left  in  the  chips,  amounting 
in  one  instance  to  1.52  per  cent. 

After  the  0th  of  October  nine  or  ten  cells  were  kept  under  pressure, 
and  the  content  of  sugar  left  in  the  chips  was  correspondingly  dimin- 
ished. 

Sorghum,  however,  hauls  itself  to  diffusion  more  readily  than  any 
other  sugar-producing  plant,  and  a  battery  of  ten  cells  properly  man- 
aged would  give  good  results  as  far  as  extraction  is  concerned. 

PRESS    OAKBS. 

The  mean  weight  of  the  press  cakes  was  111. 3  pounds.  The  mean 
content  of  moist  lire  w;is   Hi.  !."»  per  ecu t . 

Since  considerable  time  elapsed  from  the  time  of  sending  the  cakes 
from  Fori  Scott  until  they  were  analyzed  :it  Washington,  a  considera- 
ble  inversion  of  the  sucrose  toos  place. 

The  mean  total  sugar  in  the  twelve  press-cakes  examined  was  4.43 

per  cent. 


35 

Dividing  this,  as  before,  between  the  two  sugars,  we  find,  of- 


Per  <  ant 

Sucrose 2.97 

Glucose 1.4") 

When  extra  care  was  taken  in  washing  the  cakes,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  Louisiana  experiments,  to  be  later  described,  only  a  trace  of  sugar 
was  left  in  them. 

A  glance  at  the  composition  of  the  cake  will  show  its  value  as  ;i  fer- 
tilizer. 

The  quantity  of  lime  used  was  nearly  1£  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of 
the  cane  entering  the  battery. 

RESULTS    OF   WORK. 

The  average  weight  of  chips  in  the  cells  was  1,900  pounds. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  first  attempts  to  run  the  machinery  (Sep- 
tember 13)  until  it  was  found  possible  to  save  the  product  (September 
l>(.))  t!)0  diffusions  were  made,  amounting  to  948,100  pounds.  After  be- 
ginning to  save  the  product  (September  29)  until  suspension  of  work 
(October  20)  1,945  diffusions  were  made,  amounting  to  3,095,500  pounds. 
The  total  weight  of  cane,  seed,  and  blades  received  from  the  field  after 
September  19  was  3,120  tons. 

The  weight  of  chips  diffused  was  2,322  tons.  The  weight  of  seed. 
tops,  blades,  and  cleanings  (by  difference)  was  798  tons. 

Following  is  the  number  of  cells  of  chips  used  each  day  after  Sep- 
tember 19.     Before  that  date  no  separate  daily  account  was  kept: 


Date. 


Number  "I 
-  cut. 


Date. 


Number  of 
cells  out 


Date. 


Number  of 
cells  out 


Sept.  20 

80 

21 

60 

n 

28 

67 

24 

68 

26 

66 

27 

41 

88 

29 

75 

go 

60 

Oet.      i 

67 

Oct 


Oct    w 

- 

16 

7."> 

if, 

160 

17 

18 

55 

18 

86 

HI 

21 

102 

'_''_' 

mo 

28 

•jo 

4  "J 

Total 


2,418 


About  one-third  of  the cane  received  was  partly  stripped  of  its  blades. 
It  appears  from  1 1 1 « -  above  figures  that  the  seed  tops,  blades,  and  sheaths 
<>f"  the  cane  will  a  nam  nt  to  ne;u  ly  30  per  cent,  of  the  entire  weight.  It 
must  also  be  remembered  that  much  of  the  blades,  sheaths,  v\<\.  was  oof 
removed  by  the  very  imperfect  cleaning  apparatus  employed]  and  this 
weight  is  included  in  that  of  the  "  clean  chips.'1 


36 

STATEMENT   SHOWING   RATIO   <>!     SEED  HEADS   TO    WEIGHT  OF    I    IlNE,   RATIO  OF  CLEAN- 
INGS   FROM    BLOWER,    AND   QUANTITY    01    CLEAN    CANE    <  HIPS    PER    CELL. 

Weight  of  cane  taken pounds..  11-.  180 

Weight  of  Beed  tops do 21,  875 

Weight  of  cleanings do 7,580 

Weight  clean  cane  chips do 89,  025 

Weight  of  each  cell  fall  of  clean  chips do 1.  89  \ 

Seed  In  ads  to  total  weight  of  cane per  cent..  18.  4? 

Cleanings  total  weight  of  cane do 6.40 

Clean  chips  on  total  weight  of  cane do 75.13 

The  cane  used  in  the  above  experiments  was  stripped  in  the  fit-Id. 
The  "cleanings'1  comprised  the  blades  not  removed  and  sheaths,  &c, 
blown  out  by  the  fanning- machine.  Much  of  these  impurities  was  not 
removed.  The  sugar  obtained  was  of  a  fair  marketable  kind  and  found 
a  ready  sale.     The  molasses  was  of  a  dark  color  and  a  poor  quality. 

The  weight  of  masse-cuite  was  determined  on  a  portion  of  the  product 
by  Mr.  Swenson.  He  placed  it  at  a  mean  of  11'  percent,  of  the  weight 
of  the  chips  entering  the  battery.  The  weight  of  inelada  obtained  from 
the  2,322  tuns  was,  therefore,  557,280  pounds,  or  46,440  gallons. 

At  the  .present  writing  (November  15)  all  of  the  sugar  has  not  been 
swung  out,  but  the  product  will  be  about  fifty  thousand  pounds.  This 
is  indeed  a  discouraging  yield  and  quite  in  contrast  with  the  phenomenal 
quantity  obtained  from  sugar-cane  from  Louisiana,  to  be  mentioned 
further  along.  If  a  proper  crystallizing  room  had  been  provided  by  the 
company  the  yield  of  sugar  would  have  been  much  larger.  On  Novem- 
ber 2  the  different  parts  of  the  crystallizing  room  were  found  to  be  of 
the  following  temperatures: 

Deg]  i 

Northeast  corner B  I 

North  center 84 

Throe  feel  above  door,  under  aorth  steam-dram ',-' 

North  weal  corner ~:' 

In  upper  Layer  of  sirup  in  wagon,  under  south  steam  drum 105.  8 

Bottom  of  same  wagon ~~ 

Booth  center 79 

Booth  west  corner,  over  office 79 

Between  steam-drams B0.  l 

Temporal  are  of  air  outside  in  shade 64.4 

At  such  a  low  temperature  a  masse-cuite  poor  in  sucrose  and  boiled  to 
string  proof  cannot  crystallize  to  advantage. 

Before  beginning  the  experiments  with  sugarcane  about  to  be  de- 
scribed I  obtained  permission  of  the  company  to  provide  a  special  hot 
room.     With  such  material  and  with  such  unfavorable  conditions  of 
crystallization  the  yield  of  over  20  ponnds  of  sugar  per  ton  is  a  con  vine 
ing  proof  of  the  efficiency  of  the  process  employed. 

DISPOSITION    OF   Tin:    i:\ii\i  STED   <'im\s. 

The  prpblew  Of  the  disposition  of  the  exhausted  chips  is  one  of  great 

Importance,    By  the  failure  of  the  niaobiuery  which  was  designed  tore« 


37 

move  the  cbips  to  a  considerable  distance  from  the  building,  the  chips 
had  to  be  taken  away  by  scrapers.  WheD  it  is  remembered  that  these 
chips  have  slightly  increased  in  weight  in  passing  through  the  battery 
the  great  expense  of  this  proceeding  is  at  once  apparent. 

The  percentage  of  wTater  in  the  discharged  chips  was  found  to  be  as 
follows: 


1 

Number. 

Per 
cent. 

Number. 

Per 

Gent. 

84. 89 

II 

90  43 

2  ... 
3 

....       - 
- 

10  .. 

Mean 

.... 
.... 



.... 

8R  097 

4.... 

....      86. 41 

5.... 

Since  the  mean  of  former  experiments  shows  that  sorghum  contains 
about  11  per  cent  fiber  and  matters  insoluble  in  water,  the  composition 
of  the  waste  chips  as  indicated  by  the  above  determination  is: 

Per  cent. 
Fil.cr 11.  mi 

Water 88.10 

( >t  her  substances 90 


Total 100.00 

After  passing  the  waste  chips  through  the  mill  they  had  the  follow 
ing  per  cent,  of  water: 


Number. 

I'«  r  cent 

66.  57 

63.  74 

67.  7:j 

l 

■; 

4 

65.  28 

At  70  per  cent,  extraction  the  bagasse  therefore  contains  one  part 
of  fiber  to  two  of  water.     By  a  short  preliminary  drying  this  bag 
would  readily  burn.     At  any  rate  it  presses  so  readily,  requiring  so  lit- 
tle power,  thai  in  my  opinion,  it  would  be  a  matter  of  economy  to  pass 
it  through  a  three-roll  mill. 

The  percentage  of  extraction  obtained  with  the  spent  chips  in  small 
experimental  mill  will  be  seen  bj  the  following  numbers  : 

The  first  column  represents  the  per  cents,  calculated  from  weighing 
the  bagasse  and  the  second  from  weighing  the  expressed  water: 


N'umbei      From  I 


i 


Prom  water. 

r,r 

72.  16 

38 

Since  it  is  difficult  to  accurately  collect  and  weigh  the  fine  bagasse 
which  the  spent  chips  afford,  the  mean  of  the  second  column  will  be 
found  to  represent  more  accurately  the  real  extraction.  It  is  certain 
that  with  a  good  three-roll  mill  each  100  pounds  of  the  spent  chips  can 
be  reduced  to  30  pounds,  one-third  of  which  is  combustible  material. 
Even  if  no  attempt  is  made  to  use  the  bagasse  as  a  fuel  the  pressure  is 
to  be  recommended  on  the  score  of  economy.  There  appears  to  be  no 
difficulty  whatever  in  passing  the  chips  through  a  three-roll  mill,  and 
their  soft  and  pulpy  state  renders  the  pressure  exceedingly  easy. 

Further  reference  to  this  point  will  be  made  in  that  part  of  the  report 
devoted  to  sugar-cane. 

THE    CHARACTER    OF  THE  CANE  USED   SEPTEMBER    27    TO    OCTOBER  6, 

INCLUSIVE. 

A  considerable  amount  of  interest  has  been  excited  by  comparisons 
made  of  the  cane  worked  during  the  time  above  mentioned  and  that 
used  subsequently. 

MILL   JUICES. 

The  mill  juices  analyzed  during  this  time  had  the  following  composi- 
tion : 


No. 

Date. 

106* 

Sept  28 

1 1- 

Sept.  •_■!• 

119 

Sept.  30 

126 

Oct.        1 

1*1 

Oct     '-• 

Oct.     3 

147 

Oct.          1 

150 

Oct           I 

159 

Oct.        :. 

109 

Oct.      :. 

in 

o.t.      :. 

Bxtrac-     Specific 
tittn.        gravity. 


Per  cent. 
53.00 
51.51 

56  10 
61.76 


:»4.  54 


1.0726 
1.0684 
1.  0764 
1.0634 
1.0842 
1.0800 


57.70         1.0778 


Solids.        Sucrose.    Olncose. 


Percent    Percent    Percent 


5L72 

l  1  680 

51.85 

1.6740 

51.85 

l.oTlii 

:,t;.  mi 

17.6 

lti.  0 
17.8 

15.5 

•Jo.  2 
'_'().  7 

16.0 

17.9 
17.2 
19.  7 

18.8 


12.  40 

io.  n 

12.  39 

14.  50 
14.37 

10.50 

12.3!) 
10.65 
18  Jo 


2.  00 
1.92 

3.  27 
2.  37 


Remarks. 


Cain-  from  carrier. 
Do. 

DO. 

Do.  (stripped). 

Cane  from  earner. 

Cane  brought  in  cars  from  Ham- 
mond. 

<  lane,  amber,  from  oat  rier. 

Cane  orange,  from  carrier. 

Can.-  from  carrier. 

Cane,  amber,  on  oara  from  Ham- 
mond. 

Cane,  orange,  on  cars  troin  Ham- 
mond. 


Mean 


IS.  1 


11.74 


.eie  made  on  September  27  dot  Ootobei  t; 


Mean  purity  of  juice  dm  in-  lime  mentioned 

Mean  purity  of  joioe  after  October  6 

Mean  glucose  per  bundr<  d  aucroa    during  time  mentioned 
M.  ui  gln<  ose  pei  hundred  sucrose  a  tier  Octotx  i  t;    


cent. 

19.  7 

26.  "7 


Total  solids,  16.2  pel  cut.,  sucrose,  B.0S  pei  oenl      glucose,  1.41  pei  cent 


39 


Diffusion  juices. 

Number. 

Dat 

s. 

-  lids. 

Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

cent 

Per  cent. 

I'-  r  cent. 

108 

Sept 

2S 

9.78 

5.  68 

1.67 

114 

Sept 

12.4 

fi.  76 

2.92 

U8 

29 

12.0 

6.37 

2.  65 

123 

Sept. 

:,o 

14.6 

4.  16 

128 

Oct. 

1 

14.8 

-   • 

3.  25 

122 

Oct 

2 

13.7 

7.01 

133 

Oct 

2 

13.9 

3.10 

134 

Oct. 

;_> 

l  :i.  •_' 

7.  IS 

2.  75 

139 

Oct. 

a 

12.9 

&  .-9 

3.  96 

140 

Oct 

3 

12.7 

6.51 

3.65 

141 

Oct 

3 

12.  9 

6.47 

::.  52 

149 

Oct 

4 

9.8 

4.  P0 

152 

Oct 

4 

9.6 

4.71 

2.  47 

155 

Oct 

4 

11.5 

5.  42 

3.28 

Hii* 

Oct. 

5 

12.3 

6.21 

3.34 

163 

Oi  i 

5 

13.(i 

&  44 

166 

5 

12.2 

3.  40 

171 

Oct. 

12.2 

6.03 

3.23 

Mean . 

12.4 

6.  04 

3.  15 

M.nn  parity  of  joice  daring  time  mentioned 48.7 

'Mean  parity  <>t  juice  after  October  7 40.0 

Mean  glucose  per  honored  sacroee  daring  time  mentioned .v_\  13 

Mean  glooose  pet  hundred  sucrose  after  October 7 77.77 

The  mean  purity  of  the  mill  juices  during  tbe  interval  named  was  04.8 
and  of  tbe  diffusion  juices  is.7.  a  loss  of  16.1  points. 

During  the  rest  of  the  season  the  mean  purity  of  the  mill  juices  was 
4!>.7  and  of  the  diffusion  juices  40.0,  a  loss  of  only  9.7  points. 

The  glucose  per  hundred  of  sucrose,  during  interval  noted,  in  the 
mill  juices  was  26.07.  In  the  diffusion  juices  it  was  52.13,  an  increase 
of  26.06  points.  During  the  rest  of  the  season  the  glucose  per  hundred 
of  sucrose  iii  the  mill  juices  was  54.68;  in  the  diffusion  juices  77.77:  an 
increase  of  23.09  points. 

The  most  Striking  point  about  these  comparisons  during  the  interval 
named  is  the  enormous  difference  between  the  mill  juices  and  those  ot 
diffusion.  In  no  other  part  of  the  season  does  the  deterioration  of  the 
juice  in  the  battery  show  itself  to  such  an  alarming  extent. 

There  is  only  one  explanation  of  this  which  appears  satisfactory,  and 

that  is  the  tact  that  during  this  time  the  temperat lire  of  all  the  cells 
under  pressure  except  the  two  central  ones  was  kept  within  the  limits 
of  fermentation.  The  cane  during  this  period, as  a  glance  at  the  analyses 
will  show,  was  by  far  the  best  worked  during  the  entire  season.  The 
analyses  ot'  the  chips  made  during  this  time  shows  the  following  mean 
results: 


Ducoi 

acted 

hi 

/ '-  r 

Glu<  ■•  • 

('•n  H  « ted  Jin  oec  pel  hundred  ol 
Total  loUdi  i"  B  pei  i  ant      m  aroeal     .  14 per <  ami 


40 

Thus,  compared  directly  with  the  chips,  the  inversion  in  the  battery 
was  great. 

Judged  by  the  same  standards,  there  was  at  no  other  time  during  the 
season  so  great  an  inversion  of  sucrose  in  the  battery  as  during  this 
period  of  few  cells  and  low  temperatures.  Nevertheless  the  character 
of  the  cane  was  so  good  that  the  yield  of  sugar  was  large.  Had,  how- 
ever, the  cane  been  worked  without  the  inversion  spoken  of,  the  yield 
of  sugar  would  have  been  twiee  as  large.  During  the  same  period  the 
percentage  of  total  sugars  left  in  the  exhausted  chips  was  .SO,  while 
before  this  time  it  had  only  been  .17. 

It  is  therefore  seen  from  the  data  given  that  the  attempt  to  work  the 
battery  with  few  cells  and  at  a  low  temperature  increased  the  sugar 
left  in  the  chips  more  than  one-half,  and  caused  a  greater  inversion  of 
the  sucrose  than  was  experienced  at  any  other  time  during  the  entire 
season. 

I  call  especial  attention  to  these  facts,  because  during  the  period 
mentioned  I  was  absent  from  Fort  Scott.  On  my  return  I  ordered  the 
battery  to  be  worked  with  nine  or  ten  cells  under  pressure  and  at  a 
uniform  temperature  of  70°  C.  This  I  believe  to  be  the  best  method  of 
operating  a  diffusion  battery  for  sorghum,  at  least  until  some  method  is 
invented  of  distributing  over  the  chips  some  substance  which  will  neu- 
tralize the  acids  of  the  cane  and  thus  entirely  prevent  inversion.  The 
methods  by  which  I  attempted  to  accomplish  this  desirable  result  have 
already  been  described. 

A  further  fact,  which  is  illustrated  by  the  analyses  of  the  diffusion 
juices  from  uninjured  canes,  is  that  the  diminished  purity  is  produced 
solely  by  the  extraction  of  gum  and  chlorophyll  chiefly  from  the  blades 
and  sheaths,  and  that  this  injury  can  be  avoided  by  a  proper  cleaning 
of  the  canes. 

With  (dean  canes  and  those  in  which  the  sucrose  is  still  uninjured  no 
alkaline  substance  will  have  to  be  used  in  the  battery.  When,  how 
ever,  deteriorated  canes  are  used  some  such  application  will  be  necessary 
to  save  the  sucrose  from  further  inversion.  As  has  already  beeu  pointed 
out,  finely  powdered  lime  or  calcium  carbonate  e\eni\  distributed  over 
the  chips  offer  the  simplest  solution  of  the  difficulty. 

MODIFICATION    <>r   THE    PROCESS  OF   OARBONATATIOJfc 

In  order  to  avoid  the  discoloration  of  the  sirup,  which  is  the  cliiet  <>l> 

jection  to  carbonatation,  the  following  modification  of  the  process  was 
adopted  : 

The  juice  used  was  obtained  from  sugar cant-  scut  from  Tort  Scott  to 
Washington,  and  the  experiments  were  made  after  my  return  from  Kan 

s;e>. 

To  the  cane  juice  was  added  i  per  emit,  of  its  weighl  of  freshly  burned 
lime,  and  the  carbonatation  was  continued  until  the  juice  was  almost 
neutral.     After  raising  to  the  boiling  point  bo  decompose  Bucro- carbon- 


41 

ates  the  juice  was  Altered,  and  then  enough  phosphoric  acid  added  to 
precipitate  the  lime  remaining  in  solution. 

Since  a  slight  excess  of  the  acid  will  redissolve  the  precipitate  and 
form  acid  phosphate,  sodium  phosphate  was  substituted  for  the  phos- 
phoric acid. 

Much  of  the  red  color  of  the  carbonatated  juice  was  discharged  by 
this  process.  After  the  precipitation  was  complete  the  juice  wis  again 
boiled  and  filtered.  It  was  then  bleached  with  sulphurous  acid  and 
evaporated  to  40°  B. 

In  every  instance  the  sirup  made  in  this  way  was  very  light  in  color, 
perfectly  transparent,  and  of  the  finest  flavor.  So  pure  was  it,  indeed, 
that  it  was  found  unnecessary  to  use  any  acetate  of  lead  or  any  other 
defecating  material  to  prepare  this  sirop  for  polarization.  The  quantity 
of  phosphate  of  soda  required  to  precipitate  the  lime  in  5  liters  of  juice 
(11  pounds)  was  100  cubic  centimeters  of  a  10  per  cent,  solution.  There- 
fore 10  grams  of  the  sodium  phosphate  are  sufficient  for  5,000  grams  of 
juice.  Abont  t  pounds  of  sodium  phosphate  or  3  pounds  of  phosphoric 
acid  would  be  sufficient  for  working  a  ton  of  cane. 

The  whole  cost  of  treating  cane  juices  with  phosphoric  acid  or  sodium 
phosphate  will  not  be  over  15  cents  per  ton  of  cane.  The  phosphoric 
acid,  however,  is  not  lost.  It  will  reappear  in  the  press  cukes,  having 
lost  only  half  its  value.  Hence  the  actual  cost  of  using  this  method  of 
removing  the  lime  is  not  probably  over  half  of  the  estimate  given  above. 

I  made  every  effort  to  get  phosphoric  acid  at  Fort  Scott,  but  could 
not  succeed   in  time. 

1  believe  the  modification  of  the  process  here  suggested  will  make  a 
noted  improvement  in  the  molasses  over  any  other  procedure  now  in  use. 

GENERAL   CONCLUSIONS. 

In  a  general  review  of  the  work,  tin-  most  important  point  suggested 
is  the  absolute  failure  Of  the  e\  periments  to  demonstrate  the  commer- 
cial practicability  of  manufacturing  sorghum  sugar,  'flic  causes  of  this 
failure  have  been  pointed  out  in  the  preceding  pages,  and  it  will  only 
be  i  ecessarj  here  to  recapitulate  them.    They  were: 

(1)  Defective  machinery  for  cutting  the  canes  and  for  elevating  ami 
cleaning  the  chips  and  for  removing  the  exhausted  chips. 

(l'j  The  deterioration  of  the  cane  due  to  much  of  it  becoming  over- 
ripe, bui  chieiU  to  the  fact  thut  much  lime  would  generally  elapse  after 
tin-  canes  were  cm  before  they  reached  the  diffusion  battery.     The 
heavy  frost  which  came  the  1st  of  October  also  injured  the  cane  some 
what,  but  not  until  ten  days  or  two  weeks  utter  it  occurred. 

(.'>)  The  deteriorated  cane  caused  a  considerable  inversion  of  the  su- 
crose iii  the  battery,  an  inversion  winch  was  increased  b\  the  delay  in 
furnishing  chips,  thus  causing  the  chips  in  the  battery  to  remain  ex« 
posed  under  pressure  fora  much  longer  time  than  was  necessary.  The 
mean  time  required  for  diffusing  one  cell  was  twenty  one  minutes,  three 

times  as  loll-   as  it   should  ha\  e  been. 


42 

(4)  The  process  of  carbonatation,  as  employed,  secured  a  maximum 
yield  of  sugar,  but  failed  to  make  a  molasses  which  was  marketable. 
This  trouble  arose  from  the  small  quantity  of  lime  remaining  in  the  fil- 
tered juices,  causing  a  blackening  of  the  sirup  ou  concentration,  and 
the  failure  of  the  cleaning  apparatus  to  properly  prepare  the  chips  for 
diffusion. 

A  modification  of  the  process  which  will  prevent  this  trouble  has  al- 
ready been  explained;  but,  although  an  earnest  attempt  was  made  to 
introduce  this  method,  it  was  found  impossible  to  accomplish  it  before 
the  end  of  the  season. 

I  doubt  whether  any  other  industry  has  ever  been  the  object  of  bo 
much  misrepresentation  as  this  one. 

In  the  preceding  report  I  have  endeavored  to  lay  before  you  all  the 
facts  noted  in  the  recent  experiments.  If  I  have  not  interpreted  them 
correctly,  I  have,  at  least,  given  the  data  for  a  correct  interpretation. 

I  should,  indeed,  be  glad  to  leave  this  industry  in  a  more  promising 
condition.  All  admit  that  the  process  of  diffusion  has  been  success- 
fully worked  out,  and  to  this  opinion  I  subscribe,  with  the  reservation 
that  a  proper  mechanical  method  for  distributing  over  the  chips  a  sub 
stance  to  prevent  inversion  of  the  sucrose  has  not  yet  been  discovered. 

Honest  differences  of  opinion  still  exist  in  respect  of  the  best  method 
of  treating  the  diffusion  juices,  but  it  has  been  shown  at  Bio  Grande 
that  the  diffusion  juice  from  clean  cane  can  be  worked  without  any  pu- 
rification whatever. 

Whether  this  purification  is  to  be  accomplished  by  carbonatation,  til 
tering  with  brown  coal,  or  in  some  other  way,  can  easily  be  decided 
without  menacing  the  future  of  the  sorghum  industry. 

The  problem  of  successfully  cutting  and  cleaning  the  canes  docs  hot 
appear  to  me  to  be  incapable  of  solution.  It  should  have  been  solved 
the  first  thing,  without  leaving  it  for  the  last. 

Last  of  all,  the  chief  thing  to  be  accomplished  is  the  production  of  a 
surghum  plant  containing  a  reasonably  constant  percentage  of  crystal- 
lizable  sugar. 

1  cannot  emphasize  this  point  better  than  by  quoting  from  some  of 
my  previous  reports.     In  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  107-108,  the  following  words 

are  found: 

[MPROVKMENT   HV    91  ED   8EU  CTION. 

I  am  folly  convinced  that  the  Govern  meo1  should  undertake  the  experiments  which 
have  in  \  ii-w  the  increase  of  t  be  ral  i<>  of  sucrose  t<>  t  he  t>i  her  substanoes  in  the  juice. 
These  experiments,  t<>  i>«-  valuable,  must  continue  under  proper  scientific  direction  i'»  r 
a  number  of  years.  The  cost  will  be  so  great  that  a  private  oitizen  will  hardly  b« 
willing  to  undertake  the  expense. 

The  historj  <>f  the  improvement  io  the  sugar-beet  should  be  sufficient  to  encourage 
all  similar  efforts  with  sorghum. 

The  original  forage  beet,  from  which  the  sugar-beet  has  been  developed,  ooutained 
only  &  or  6  per  cent,  of  sucrose.    The  sugar-beet  will  now  average  10  per  cent,  of  sue 


43 

rose.  It  seems  to  me  that  a  few  years  of  careful  selection  may  secure  ;i  similar  im- 
provement in  sorghum. 

It  would  be  a  long  step  toward  the  solution  of  the  problem  to  secure  a  sorghum  that 
would  average,  field  with  field,  1*2  percent,  sucrose  and  only  2  per  cent,  of  other  sugars, 
and  with  such  cane  the  great  difficulty  would  be  to  make  sirup  and  not  sugar.  Those 
varieties  and  individuals  of  each  variety  of  cane  which  show  the  best  analytical  re- 
sults should  be  carefully  selected  for  seed,  and  this  selection  continued  until  acciden- 
tal variations  become  hereditary  qualities  in  harmony  with  the  well-known  principles 
of  descent. 

If  these  experiments  in  selection  could  be  made  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and 
especially  by  the  various  agricultural  stations  and  colleges,  they  would  have  addi- 
tional value  and  force.  In  a  country  whose  soil  and  climate  are  as  diversified  as  in 
This,  results  obtained  in  one  locality  are  not  always  reliable  for  another. 

If  some  unity  of  action  could  in  this  way  be  established  among  those  engaged  in 
agricultural  research,  much  time  and  labor  would  be  saved  and  more  valuable  results 
be  obtained. 

In  Bulletin  No.  5,  pp.  185-6-7,  are  found  the  following  conclusions: 

A  careful  study  of  the  foregoing  data  will  not  fail  to  convince  every  candid  investi- 
gator that  the  manufacture  of  sugar  from  sorghum  has  not  yet  proved  financially  suc- 
sessful. 

The  men  who  have  put  their  money  in  these  enterprises  seem  likely  to  lose  it.  and 
intending  investors  will  carefully  consider  the  facts  herein  set  forth  before  making 
final  arrangements.  The  expectations  of  the  earlier  advocates  of  the  industry  have 
not  been  met,  and  the  predictions  of  enthusiastic  prophets  have  not  been  verified.  It 
would  be  unwise  and  unjust  to  conceal  the  facts  that  the  future  of  the  sorghum-sugar 
industry  is  somewhat  doubtful.  The  unsatisfactory  condition  is  due  to  many  Causes. 
In  the  first  place,  the  difficulties  inherent  in  the  plant  itself  have  been  constantly 
undervalued.  The  success  of  the  industry  has  been  based  on  the  belief  of  the  pro- 
duction of  sorghum  with  high  percentages  of  sucrose  and  small  amount  of  reducing 
sii^ar  and  other  impurities. 

Bui  the  universal  experience  of  practical  manufacturers  shows  that  the  average 
constitution  of  the  sorghum-cane  is  far  inferior  to  that  just  indicated.  Taking  the 
mean  of  several  seasons  as  a  BUM  basis  of  computation,  it  can  now  be  said  that  the 
juices  of  sorghum  as  t  hey  come  from  t  he  mill  do  not  contain  over  10  per  cent  ■  of  su- 
crose, while  the  percentage  of  other  solids  in  solution  is  at  least  4. 

It  is  needless  to  say  to  a  practical  sugar- maker  that  the  working  of  such  a  juice  is 
one  of  extreme  difficulty,  and  the  output  of  sugar  necessarily  small. 

The  working  of  sorghum  juices  will  be  found  as  difficult  as  those  of  beets,  and  brae 

success  cannot  be  hoped  fur  until  the  processes  used  tor  the  .me  .uv  as  complete  and 
scientific  as  for  the  other.  It  is  not  meant  by  this  that  the  processes  and  inachinei\ 
a  le  to   be   ideill  leal. 

The  chemical  as  well  as  mechanical  treatment  of  the  two  kinds  of  juice  w  ill  doubt- 

less  differ  in  man]  respects,  and  this  leads  to  the  consideration  of  the  third  diffi- 
culty, \  i/.  the  chemical  treatment  of  sorghum  juice.  It  has  taken  nearly  three-quar- 
ters of  a  cciitiiiA  in  develop  the  chemistry  of  the  beet-sugar  process,  and  even  now 
the  progress  in  tins  direction  is  great.    The  chemist ry  of  the  sorghum-sugar  process 

is  SCaroel]   yet    B  science.       It    is  only  an    imitation   of  what    has  been    done   in   other 

fields  of  work.    Sorghum  will  have  to  develop  ;i  ehemistrj  of  its  own.   Tins  will  not 
be  the  work  of  a  da  j  or  a  year,  but  it  will  be  accomplished  sooner  or  latei 
Careful  stndj  of  .limate  and  soil,  joined   with  experience,  will  gradually    locate 

t  hose  a  leas  most   ta\  orahle  to  the  growth  of  this  ]  dan  t  and  its  ma  nil  tact  ure. 

This  is  an  all-important  point   in  the  problem,  and  is  u..w    occnp\  ing   ■eriouslj    the 

attention  of  the  though tful  advocates  of  the  sorghum-sugar  industry.    <  >ne  thin-  is 

already  clear.  /'.  -..  thai   I  he   ana  of   successful    BOrghum    culture    is  not    nearly  SO  ei 

tensive  as  it  was  thought  tobeafe*  years  ago.      I  would  urge  a  further  invea 


41 

tioii  in  this  direction  as  a  work  peculiarly  within  the  province  of  the  Department, 
and  one  which  would  prove  of  immense  benefit  to  the  country.  Five  million  acres  of 
land.  Bnitable  to  the  purpose,  will  produce  all  the  sugar  required  for  this  country  lor 
several  years  to  come.  It  is  therefore  certain  that  the  su^ar  industry  will  he  eon- 
fined  to  the  most  favorable  Localities.  If  a  thorough,  scientific  study  of  all  the  soil 
and  climatic  conditions  does  not  point  out  this  regiou,  hitter  experience  and  the  loss 
of  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars  will  gradually  fix  its  boundaries.  Last  of  all,  the 
sorghum  industry  has  suffered  from  the  general  depression  which  has  been  felt  by 
tin-  sugar  industry  of  the  entire  world.  Low  prices  have  caused  loss  where  every 
Other  condition  hasheen  favorable.  It  is  hardly  probable  that  the  price  of  sugar  will 
rise  again  to  its  maximum  of  the  years  passed.  Only  war,  pestilence,  or  disaster 
would  produce  this  effect.  It  is  best,  therefore,  for  the  sugar-grower  to  accept  the 
present  price  as  final  and  make  his  arrangements  accordingly.  But  low  prices  will 
produce  increased  consumption,  and  thus,  even  with  a  smaller  profit,  the  sugar-grower, 
by  increased  production,  may  find  his  business  reasonably  remunerative,  if  not  as  en- 
riching as  before.  The  sorghum-sugar  grower  will  he  injured  or  benefited  with  the 
growers  of  other  kinds  of  sugar  by  these  economic  forces.  Hence  there  should  he  no 
enmity  between  the  grower  of  the  sorghum,  the  sugar-beet,  and  the  sugar-cane,  hut 
all  should  work  in  harmony  for  the  general  good. 

It  is  true  the  present  outlook  is  discouraging.  But  discouragement  is  not  defeat. 
The  time  has  now  come  lor  solid,  energetic  work.  Science  and  practice  must  join 
improved  agriculture,  and  all  together  can  accomplish  what  neither  alone  would  ever 
be  able  to  achieve.  It  is  not  wise  to  promise  too  much,  but  this  Bureau  would  fall 
short  of  its  duty  were  it  either  to  suppress  the  discouraging  reports  of  this  industry 
or  fail  to  recognize  the  possibility  of  its  success.  The  future  depends  on  the  persist- 
ence and  wisdom  of  the  advocates  of  sorghum.  The  problem  they  have  to  solve  is  a 
most  difficult  one,  but  its  solution  is  not  impossible. 

It  must  be  confessed  finally  Unit  the  chief  object  of  this  last  series  of 
experiments,  viz,  to  place  the  industry  where  private  capital  would  see 
its  way  clear  to  its  extension  over  a  large  area  has  not  been  attained. 

It  is  now  seen  that  much  of  what  has  been  done  is  useless,  and  were 
the  work  to  be  gone  over  again  these  necessary  mistakes  of  a  first  at- 
tempt would  be  avoided.    Time,  labor,  and  money  could  be  saved. 

What  encouragement  is  just  is  offered  to  those  who  are  willing  to 
take  up  this  work  here  and  extend  it. 

The  great  difficulties  in  the  way  of  extracting  the  sugar  from  the  cane 
have  been  removed.  The  fact  that  sorghum,  in  certain  oircnm stances, 
becomes  a  tine  sugar  producing  plant  has  been  incontestahly  estab- 
lished. A  suitable  soil  and  climate  have  been  found  for  growing  the 
crop  and  manufacturing  the  sugar.  Remaiuing  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  success  have  been  fairly  and  candidly  pointed  out. 

Since  the  present  appropriation  was  made  for  continuing  and  con- 
cluding these  experiments,  I  consider  that  my  connection  with  the  de- 
velopment of  the  industry  has  ended.      I  leave  the  work  with  only  one 

regret,  and  that  isthat  the  future  of  the  sorghum-sugar  industry  is  still 

in  doubt. 


EXPERIMENTS  WITH  SUGARCANE. 


On  the  1st  of  October  I  received  instructions  from  you  to  purchase  a 
few  tons  of  sugar-cane  in  Louisiana  and  make  some  experiments  with 
it  at  Fort  Scott, 

The  managers  of  the  Daily  City  Item  newspaper  of  New  Orleans, 
having  learned  of  your  intention,  made  arrangements  with  the  Texas 
Pacific  Railroad  to  transport  this  cane  from  Louisiana  to  Fort  Scott  for 
(4  per  ton.  The  general  freight  agent  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  Kail- 
road  offered  to  deliver  the  cane  on  the  same  terms. 

I  requested  lion.  Edward  J.  Gay  to  purchase  the  cane,  which  lie 
kindly  consented  to  do. 

The  cane  was  cut  early  in  the  season,  viz.  October  25  to  30,  and  was 
brought  as  quickly  as  possible  to  the  factory. 

PRELIMINARY    TRIAL. 

On  November  2,  three  car-loads  of  cane  having  arrived,  a  preliminary 
trial  was  made. 
The  weight  of  cane  used  in  this  trial  was  G3.75  tons. 

CUTTING-MACHINE. 

The  cutters  which  worked  so  poorly  with  sorghum  did  well  with  sugar 
cane,  and  no  trouble  whatever  was  experienced  in  producing  chips  suita- 
ble to  diffusion  and  at  the  rate  of  six  tons  per  hour. 

CHIP   ELEVATOR. 

The  same  trouble  was  experienced  with  the  elevator  that  we  had  had 
to  contend  with  so  long  with  sorghum,  and  to  an  increased  extent.  The 
chips  being  heavier  than  sorghum,  easily  overweighted  the  elevator  and 
caused  it  to  clog.    Considerable  delay  was  caused  by  these  annoyances. 

tin;    DIFFUSION. 

it  was  found  at  once  that  the  temperature  used  for  the  diffusion  of 
sorghum,  viz,  To  ('.,  was  entholy  too  low  to  effect  the  extraction  of 
sugar  from  sugar-cane. 

The  temperature  was  gradually  raised  to  90    centigrade  before  a  sal 
isfactory  extraction  was  obtained.    The  chips  lying  closer  together  in 
the  cell  caused  the  circulation  <>t  ihe  liquid  in  The  batten  to  take  place 


46 


more  slowly.  It  was  clearly  evident  that  the  pressure  afforded  by  the 
feed-tank  of  the  battery,  viz,  two-thirds  of  an  atmosphere,  is  not  great 
enough  to  work  a  battery  rapidly  when  twelve  cells  are  under  pressure. 

ANALYSES   OF   THE   CANES  WORKED. 

Samples  of  chips  were  taken  from  each  cell  until  twelve  wrere  tilled. 
These  samples  were  then  passed  through  a  small  mill  and  the  juice  ob 
tained  subjected  to  analysis. 

The  juices  thus  obtained  had  the  following  composition  : 


2S2&.  s»crose- 

Glucose. 

First  sample    — 
Second  sample  . . . 

Third  sample 

Fourth  sample  . . . 
Fifth  sample 

Means 

Per  cent.    Per  cent. 
14.  6             10.  52 

13.  3             10.  10 

14.  6             10.  89 
14.  4              Dl  82 
14.  4              10.  04 

Per  cent. 

1.79  : 
2.08 
2.28 
2.  02 

14.  26           10.  28 

2.08 

WEIGHT   OF   DIFFUSION   JUICE. 

From  each  cell  were  drawn  off  1,000  liters  of  juice,  or  1,040  kilograms. 

The  number  of  cells  filled  with  chips  was  GO  ;  the  weight  of  each  cell 
of  chips  was  2,125  pounds;  weight  of  juice  drawn  off  from  each  cell  was 
2,280  pounds,  or  103  pounds  more  than  the  weight  of  cane  used. 

ANALYSES   OF   DIFFUSION  JUICE. 
The  samples  were  taken  from  each  charge  of  juice  drawn.     When 
twelve  were  taken  the  mixture  was  analyzed  : 


Total 

s.ihds. 

Sucrose. 

Glucose. 

First  sample 

Second  sample  .  .. 
Third  sample  ... 
Fourth  sample  . .. 
Fifth  -ample 

Means 

Percent 

7.2 

10.4 

111   s 

10.8 
11.1 

5.01 

7.  :.i 

7.72 
7.47 
7.73 

/'<  r  cent. 

i.  15 
l.  18 
1.56 
1.60 

1.77 

10.1              7.06 

1.51 

BKHAUSTED   ('HIPS. 
Four  samples  Of  exhausted  chips  were  taken.     The  first  one  was  from 

the  first  five  cells  only.    No  samples  were  taken  from  the  next  nine  cells, 

and  after  that  the  samples  were  taken  regularly  as  before.      Following 

are  the  analyses : 


Total 
Bolide. 

Saorose.    Glu 

I'n  si  lampb 

Second  sample 
Third  sani|)l. 

1  <>lll  tfa  sample 

M..ms  

/*.  r  tent 

9  l 
l.fl 
1.8 

•J.  84 
Lost 

1 

U 

•J.  3 

47 

The  samples  of  carbonatated  and  sulphured  juices  were  not  taken 
with  regularity.     Nevertheless  I  give  below  their  analyses : 

CARBONATATED  JUICES. 


8T0Mt         SnC1°8e-      GUlC08e- 

First  aample 

Second  sample  . .. 

Third  sample 

Fonrth  sample  . .. 

Means 

Per  cent. 

7.0 

11.1 

11.5 

10.3 

Per  cent.    Per  cent. 
4.57              .84 
8.05             1.20 
7.  76             1.  30 

7.70             1.32 

9.98 

7.  02             1. 17 

SULPHURED  JUICES. 


Total 
solids. 


Sucrose.    Glucose. 


First  sample  - . 
Second  sample 
Third  sample  . 
Fourth  sample 

Heana  •-- 


Percent.  Percent.  Percent. 

ti.  7  4. 48  .  86 

11.0  8.12  1.30 

11.3  8.20  1.35 

11.0  8.  Go  1.36 


10.0 


7.21 


1.22 


COMPOSITION   OF   SEMI-SIRUP   FROM   ABOVE   JUICES. 


Per  tent. 

Total  soli. Is 55.  -I 

Sucrose \\\.  \\ 


Glucose. 


36 


FIRST   SUGAKS    MADE. 

The  masse  <-><it<-  was  put  iii  cars  on  November  4  and  stood  four  days 
before  commencing  to  dry  it. 

It  yielded  of  first  sugars pounds. .      6,  — 

Of  second  sugars do. .  . .         496 

Total  first  and  second  sugars do 7,383 


Sugar  i>«t  ton do 1 15.  8 

Sugar  <>n  weighl  of  cane per  cent  ..  ."».  79 

en:   (i\  i  .   Of    rOTAl    -i  <  i:<  >S1     OBI  US  ED. 

The  expressed  juice  contained  10.88  per  oent.  sucrose.     Beckoning  the  juice  a1 

1»0  ]>cr  cent,  of  i lie  weight  of  the  cane,  ^ives  percentage  Buorose  in  cane  ...  '.*. 25 

Per  cent,  sugar  obtained  5.79 

Per  cent.  «»t*  total  sugar  obtained - < & «'» 


AN  \l  VSIS    -.1     I  IKS  I     SI/OARS 


Pet  oent 
,96 

I 


Moisture 

Ash 

Glucose 1.06 

Undetermined  3 1 

Sucrose 


48 


SECOND   TRIAL. 

On  November  6,  all  the  cane  having  arrived, the  second  trial  was  made. 
The  experience  of  the  first  attempt  had  shown  how  the  greal  loss  of 
saga*  in  the  chips,  especially  in  the  beginning,  might  be  avoided.     The 

second  run  was,  therefore,  made  with  an  initial  temperature  of  nearly 
90°  C.  The  quantity  of  juice  withdrawn  at  each  time  was  also  increased 
by  100  liters. 

Weight  of  cane  used. — The  weight  of  cane  used  in  the  second  trial  was 
83.25  tons. 

LNALYSBS    OF   THE   CANES. 
The  samples  of  chips  were  taken  as  described  before: 


Total 
solids. 


Sucrose.    Glucose. 


r,t.    Per  cent.    Per  cut. 


Pil  st  sample    15.  0G 

Second  sample  14.68 

Third  sample 14.93 

Fourth  sample   13.  47 

Fifth  sample 14.58 

Sixtli  sample 

Means 14.  'iS 


11.30 

1.89 

10.88 

1.62 

10.  40 

1.66 

lo.  43 

1.  Ml 

10.62 

I.  - 

10.05 

1.  75 

10.62 

L™ 

ANALYSES   OF   DIFFUSION    JUICES. 

The  samples  were  taken  as  before  described  : 


Ilia's.        SuCr08°<      (i!' 

Per 

First  sample  ,       10. 11 

Second  sample :        10.  15 

Third  sample 10,  OS 

,.;.    Percent. 

7.  :s:t 

7.!).".             l.?0 

7.15             1.17 

Fourtb  sample 10.05 

Fifth  sample   !>.  83 

1 .  29 

1 .  •_".» 

Sixth  sample  

6.55            1.28 

0. 86 

7.  it;          1.21 

EXHAUSTED   CHIPS. 

The  samples  were  taken  as  described  in  the  preliminary  trial 


unple 
Second 

Third  saraple 
Foui  tb  saropli 

l  iii h  sample  . 
•inple   . 


solids. 


I  56 
1.21 

l   n 
l.n 


l.il 


rluoose. 


.38 


Pi 


:<7 


.VI 
.07 

.  Oil 
.  10 
ii.-. 


49 


CARBONATATED   JUICES. 

The  samples  were  taken  in  such  a  way  as  to  represent  the  same  body 
of  juice  corresponding  to  the  same  numbered  samples  of  diffusion  juice. 
Each  carbouatation  tank  held  three  charges  of  diffusion  juice.  A  meas- 
ured sample  after  carbonatation  was  taken  from  each  series  of  four 
tanks. 


Total 
solids. 


Sucrose.    Glucose. 


Per  cent.    Per  cent 

First  sample 10.11  7.27 

Second  sample  10.25 

Third  sample 10.  14 

Fourth  sample 9.72 

Fifth  sample 9.72 

Sixth  sample 9.55 

Means 9.  92 


7.91 
7.  25 
7.00 
7.10 
6.50 


I 

1.09 

1.14 
1.11 
1.21 
1.  22 
l!  12 


7.17 


1.15 


SULPHURED   JUICES. 

The  samples  of  sulphured  juice  were  taken  in  a  way  to  represent  as 
nearly  as  possible  the  same  body  of  juice  as  indicated  by  the  corre- 
sponding numbers  under  carbon atated  juice.  Since,  however,  the  juices 
alter  carbonatation  had  to  fall  into  a  receiving  tank  before  being  sent 
to  the  filter  presses*  some  mixing  of  the  different  bodies  of  juice  was 
unavoidable. 

Thus  the  analyses  below  are  not  strictly  comparable  with  the  same 
numbers  under  diffusion  and  carbonatated  juices : 


Total 
solids. 


Sucrose.    (Uucose. 


/'.  /   ft  ut.      I',  r  ,.  i,t.      I  ■ 

First  sample   ].  09 

Second  sample  11.12  lit 

Third  sample 10. 35  7.  :vj           l  28 

Fourth  sample 0  7. 02           1. 26 

Fifth  sample 10.  US  l.  28 

Sixth  sample 9.  :;i  <;  -14           l.  17 

10.12  7.18              1.20 


SEMI-SIR1   PS. 


The  semi-sirup  from  the  above  juices  was  pal  in  two  tanks.    Samples 
were  taken  from  each  tank  : 


Total 

BOlldB. 


Sucrose,    Glucose 


imple 

S.i  |  -,iiii|»1< 


i.    /•-  /•  eetU.    /'(•/• .-.  at 
82.  o 
w  0 


The  first  sample  represents  the  first  third  of  the  run,  and  the  second 

samples  the  second  two  thirds. 

L1330— No,  M- 


50 

FIRST   SUGARS   MADE. 

The  masse-cuite  stood  in  cars  two  days. 

On  drying  it  yielded pounds..    11,  185 

The  yield  of  "  seconds"  was do. ..         B05 

Total  weight  produced do. . .    11,  WO 

Sugar  per  ton do. ..  144 

Sugar  to  weight  of  cane per  cent..         7.  2 

I'Kli  CENT.    TOTAL   SUGAR   OBTAINED. 

Per  cent 

The  juice  contained L0. 62 

And  the  cane 9.56 

Percentage  sucrose  obtained 75.3 

COMPOSITION   OF   THE   FIRST   SUGARS. 

The  sample  was  taken  from  each  barrel  as  it  was  tilled.  The  samples 
were  all  mixed  well  together  and  placed  in  a  tight  buttle,  which  was  not 
opened  until  the  sample  for  analysis  was  taken.  It  is,  therefore,  as  fair 
a  sample  of  the  product  made  as  could  possibly  be  obtained.  It  gave 
of— 

Per  etui. 

Moist  ure .73 

Ash   14 

Glucose .  58 

Undetermined 61 

Sucrose. .. 98.  on 

Compare  this  result  with  the  work  on  Magnolia  plantation  last  year, 
as  found  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  p.  20: 

Pounds. 
Weight  f "i  i - — T  BOgarfl   per  ton lli> 

Weight  second  sugars  per  ton  29.  75 

Total  first  and  second 148.75 

Per  <  <iii 

Percentage  obtained 7.  1 1 

Sucios,-  in  joice L2. 11 

Sucrose  in  cane 10.90 

Percentage  obtained     68.3 

Sucrose  iii  cane  at  Magnolia 10. 90 

Sucrose  in  cane  at    1'ort   Scott '.».  •">() 

Difference  1.34 

The    increase  in   tin-   yield    per   ton   at    Magnolia,  had    the  cane  been 
worked  l>\  diffusion,  would  have  been,  therefore, 26.8  pounds. 
The  yield  of  seconds  al    Fori  Scotl  was  surprisingly  low.    The  mo- 

lasses  as  it  came  from  the  Centrifugals  Wa8  full  Of  crystals.      About  one 
third  its  volume  Of  warm  water  was  added  to  t  his  molasses  and  the  cr\  s 

tals  all  dissolved  before  boiling.    This  maj  have  diminished  the  yield. 
The  "thirds"  have  been  placed  in  cars  and  set  away  until  next  fall. 


51 

The  "  thirds"  fill  five  wagons,  each  containing 23  cubic  feet,  or  in  all  125 
cubic  feet,  weighing  approximately  10,000  pounds.  Of  this  amount, 
6,189  pounds  are  from  the  second  run. 

Pounds. 

The  total  product,  therefore,  is,  sugar 11,990 

Thirds,  manse  cuite 6, 189 

Total 18, 179 

Or  218.3  pounds  per  ton  of  cane  worked.  This  is  nearly  11  per  cent,  of 
the  weight  of  cane  used. 

But  calculated  on  the  original  masse  cutte,  which  filled  9  cars,  there 
would  have  been  9  x  23  =207 cubic  feet, or  18,837  pounds  =  22G  pounds 
per  ton,  or  11.3  per  cent. 

But  the  method  of  reckoning  the  increased  production  which  has  just 
been  used  is  not  a  fair  one,  since  it  rests  on  the  assumption  that  the 
sucrose  in  each  case  is  equally  available.  But  a  moment's  consideration 
will  show  that  this  is  not  the  case. 

The  term  "  available  sugar"  is  not  a  precise  one.  It  may  have  many 
interpretations.  In  France,  for  instance,  the  rendement  is  calculated  by 
deducting  from  the  total  sucrose  twice  the  glucose  and  from  three  to 
five  times  the  ash.  This  is  a  good  rule  for  beet  sugar,  but  in  cane-juice 
tin*  ash,  being  mostly  calcium  salts,  is  far  less  melassigenic  than  that  of 
the  beet  juice,  made  up  chiefly  of  potassium  compounds. 

Another  method  of  calculating  "available  sugar"  is  to  diminish  the 
percentage  of  sucrose  by  the  difference  between  it  and  all  the  other 
solids  in  .solution.  This  method  is  apt,  however,  to  give  results  too 
low.  In  this  uncertainty  the  term  "available  sugar"  should  always  be 
accompanied  by  an  explanation  of  the  manner  of  making  the  calculation. 

The  yield  of  sugar  obtained  at  Fort  Scott,  being  the  highest  ever  got 
from  sugar-cane  may  be  taken  as  the  true  amount  of  "available  sugar" 
until  some  better  yields  are  reported. 

Notice,  for  a  moment,  the  relation  of  this  yield  to  the  respective 
quantities  of  sucrose  and  glucose  present: 

Per  cut 

Buerose  in  juice 10.62 

Sucrose  in  oane 

field  of  sucrose 7.30 

Difference  between  sucrose  in  cane  ami  yield •!.  36 

Glucose  in  jnice 1.78 

Glucose  in  oane l. 60 

Ratio  of  per  cent,  of  glucose  to  per  cent,  of  sucrose  lost  i..~>  nearly. 

It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  rational  waj  t<>  calculate  "available 
sugar"  when  the  quantities  of  sucrose  and  glucose  in  the  canes  are 
known  is  to  diminish  the  percentage  of  sucrose  i>\  one  and  a  half  times 

the  glucose. 


52 
Applying  this  method  we  have  the  following  results: 

AT   FORT   SCOTT. 

Sucrose  in  oane per  cent . .       9.  56 

One  ami  a  hall'  times  glucose  in  cane do 2.  40 

Theoretical  available  sugar do 7. 1<5 

Pounds  per  ton 14;?.  '2 

Pounds  per  ton  obtained 144 

AT  MAGNOLIA. 

Sucrose  in  cane per  cent . .  10,  90 

One  and  a  half  times  glucose  in  caue do 1.38 

Theoretical  available  sugar do.    . .  9.  52 

Pounds  per  ton 194.  1 

Pounds  per  ton  obtained 148.75 

Difference , pounds..      11 .65 

This  shows  in  the  most  convincing  manner  that  by  the  process  of 
diffusion  and  carbonatation  the  yield  of  sugar  from  sugar-cane  can  be 
increased  fully  30  per  cent,  over  the  best  milling  and  subsequent  treat 
ment  of  the  juice  which  has  ever  beeu  practiced  in  this  or  in  any  other 
country. 

If  this  be  true  of  the  best  milling,  it  is  easy  to  estimate  the  increase 
over  the  average  milling  of  Louisiana.  It  is  not  extravagant  to  sup- 
pose that  this  increase  will  be  fully  40  per  cent. 

But  the  problem  may  also  be  approached  in  another  way.  It  has 
just  been  shown  what  the  product  would  have  been  had  the  Part  Scot! 
process  beeu  applied  at  Magnolia.  It  may  now  be  asked,  il  What  would 
have  been  the  yield  had  the  .Magnolia  process  been  applied  at  Fori 
Scott?" 

The  process  used  at  Magnolia  produced  148.75  pounds  sugar  from 
cane  in  which  the  available  sugar  was  190.4  pounds.  The  percentage 
of  available  sngar  obtained  was 

1 18.75  x  loo  -J-  loo.  I  =  7S.1  per  cent. 

The  available  sugar  in  the  cane  at  Fort  Scott  was  T.io  percent. 
Multiply  this  by  .78  and  the  product,  5.58  will  be  the  yield  of  sugar 
which  the  Magnolia  process  would  have  given  at  Fori  Scott,  or  11  l.G 
pounds  per  ton.  Deduct  this  from  the  quantity  obtained  and  the  re 
mainder  will  represent  the  Increased  yield,  viz,  32.4  pounds.  Thus  in 
whatever  way  the  calculation  is  made  it  is  seen  that  the  processes  of 

diffusion  and  carbonatation  give  a  largely  increased  yield. 

A  not  her  important  quest  ion  which  arises  is  t  his.  "  1  toes  t  his  increased 
yield  come  wholly  from  the  increased  extraction,  or  is  it  partly  due  to 
the  method  of  purifying  the  juice  \"  I  will  try  to  give  a  rational  answer 
to  this  question  based  on  the  data  of  the  analyses  and  the  respective 
rendements  given  b\  the  two  processes. 

The  percentage  of  extract at    Magnolia  was  78.     Reckoning  the 


53 

juice  at  90  per  cent.,  the  loss  in  juice  was  12  per  cent.  The  percentage 
of  juice,  and  consequently  of  sugar  extracted,  was  86.6  per  cent.  The 
mean  loss  of  sugar  in  the  chips  at  Fort  Scott  was  .38  per  cent.,  and  the 
quantity  of  sugar  present  was  9.56.  The  percentage  of  extraction  was 
therefore  96  per  cent.  The  gain  in  extraction  by  diffusion  is  therefore 
9.4  per  cent.  It  is  thus  evident  that  the  large  gain  in  yield,  as  estab- 
lished at  Fort  Scott,  cannot  be  due  wholly  to  the  increased  extraction 
of  the  sugar.  It  must  therefore  be  largely  due  to  the  processes  of  de- 
puration employed. 

The  process  of  carbonatation  tends  to  increase  the  yield  of  sugar  in 
three  ways : 

(1)  It  diminishes  the  content  of  glucose.  This  diminution  is  small 
when  the  cold  carbonatation  as  practised  at  Fort  Scott  is  used  ;  yet,  to 
at  least  once  and  a  half  its  extent,  it  increases  the  yield  of  crystallized 
sugar. 

(2)  By  the  careful  use  of  the  process  of  carbonatation  there  is  scarcely 
any  loss  of  sugar.  The  only  place  where  there  can  be  any  loss  at  all 
is  in  the  press  cakes,  and  when  the  desucration  of  these  is  properly  at- 
tended to  the  total  loss  is  trifling.  The  wasteful  process  of  "skimming" 
is  entirely  abolished,  and  the  increased  yield  is  due  to  no  mean  extent 
to  this  truly  economical  proceeding. 

(3)  In  addition  to  the  two  causes  of  increase  already  noted,  and  which 
are  not  sufficient  to  produce  the  large  rendement  obtained,  must  be  men- 
tioned a  third,  the  action  of  the  excess  of  lime  and  its  precipitation  by 
carbonic  acid  on  the  substances  in  the  juice,  which  are  truly  melassi- 
genic.  Fully  half  of  the  total  increase  which  the  experiments  have 
demonstrated  is  due  to  this  cause.  It  is  true  the  coefficient  of  purity 
of  the  juice  does  not  seem  to  be  much  affected  by  the  process,  but  it  is 
evident  that  the  treatment  to  which  the  juice  is  subjected  increases  in 
a  marked  degree  the  ability  of  the  sugar  to  crystallize.  This  fact  is 
most  abundantly  illustrated  by  the  results  obtained. 

Not  only  this  bat  it  is  also  evident  that  the  proportion  of  first  sugars 

to  all  others  is  largely  increased  by  this  method.     This  is  a  fact  which 
may  prove  of  considerable  economic  importance. 
It  thus  appears  that  the  yield  of  sugar  would  be  greatly  increased 

b\  the  application  of  carbonatation  to  mill  juices.  Since  a  complete 
carbonatation  outfit  can  be  erected  for  about  $4,000  it   would   be  well  if 

some  planter  or  syndicate  of  planters  should  give  the  process  ;i  trial. 

These  facts  are  worthy  of  closer  consideration,  inasmuch  as  the 
process  of  carbonatation    has  been  fiercely  and   maliciously  assailed  as 

one  which  destroys  both  Bugar  and  molass*  3. 

WEIGHT    OP    Ml  li  sn»\    JUICE    COMPARED    WITH    WEIGHT    OP    CAKE 

WORKED. 

Number  of  cells  filled,  Sli. 

Weight  chips  in  each  cell  =  86 -J-  83.25  =   1.033  tons  =  2,060  pounds. 


54 

Weight  juice  drawn  from  each  cell  of  chips  1,100  liters.  Specific 
gravity  1.04  =  2,516.8  pounds. 

The  weight  of  normal  juice  in  2,000  pounds  of  cane  is  1,859.4  pounds. 
The  additional  weight  of  water  added  by  diffusion  is  657.4  pounds. 

The  percentage  of  increase  over  normal  juice  057.4-^  1,859.4  =  35.4 
per  cent.  This  increase  represents  what  is  often  called  the  "  dilution" 
of  the  juice.  The  quantity  of  water  to  be  evaporated  to  produce  a 
given  quantity  of  sugar  is,  therefore,  35.4  per  cent,  greater  for  such  a 
diffusion  than  for  a  normal  mill  juice.  In  practice  this  amount  could 
easily  be  reduced  to  25  per  cent. 

COMPOSITION   OF   PRESS   CAKE. 

The  defecation  and  nitration  of  the  juice  from  83.25  tons  of  cane  gave 
197  press  cakes. 

The  mean  weight  of  these  cakes  was  24  pounds  each,  and  the  total 
weight  4,728  pounds.  A  sample  of  the  cake  taken  directly  from  the 
press  and  dried  contained  of  moisture  45.37  per  cent.  The  total  weight 
of  dry  matter  obtained  in  the  press  cakes  was,  therefore,  2,582.9  pounds. 

Analyses  of  the  dried  cake  gave  the  following  results: 

Per  cent. 

Albuminoids '.»,  585 

Sucrose Tract'. 

<  iliico.se Traec 

Other  organic  matter IT.  45 

QUANTITY   OF  LIlttE   USED. 

As  is  seen  under  sorghum  experiments  it  required  1.5  per  cent,  lime 
to  produce  a  good  filtration. 

I  felt  sure  that  the  juice  from  the  sugar-cane  would  not  require  as 
^reat  a  quantity.  At  the  preliminary  trial  1  per  cent,  of  lime  was  used 
and  the  cakes  formed  were  perfect,  firm,  and  hard. 

In  the  second  run  only  .75  per  cent,  of  lime  was  used,  and  the  cakes 
were  equally  as  good.  There  is  little  occasion  for  using  less  lime  than 
this,  lor  witli  this  quantity  the  carbonatat ions  were  easily  finished  in 
fifteen  to  twenty  minutes. 

roil  i  i<  n:\  i    I  >i     PI   l;i  \\    i  \    SEI  <>\  l>  TRIAL. 

Per  cent. 

Of  the  mill  juioes  the  coefficient  vraa    73.  8 

Of  the  a  illusion  juices  the  coefficient  vras 72.6 

Of  the  carbonatated  juices  t  In-  ooeffloienl  was 72,  :> 

Of  the  sulphured  jnioea  the  ooeffloienl  was 70. 9 

Of  the  first  semi-sirup  the  ooeffloienl  was  74.6 

Of  the  second  Bemi-sirup  tin-  ooeffloienl  was  — 73.6 

In  both  trials  it   u;is  seen  that   the  coefficient  of  purity  was  increased 

daring  the  process  of  evaporation.    This  was,  donbtless,  caused  by  the 

precipitation  of  some  of  the   lime  salts  held  in  solution  by  the. juices. 


55 


DEGREE   OF  EXTRACTION  BY  EXPERIMENTAL  MILL. 


Fresh 
chips  per 

cent, 
juice  ob- 

tained. 

Exhausted 
chips  per 
cent,  water 
extracted. 

First  sample 

Second  sample  . . 
Third  sample 
Fourth  sample. . .. 

Fifth  sample 

Sixtli  sample 

Mean 

54.64 

58.88 
57.  0] 
55.85 
60.00 
51.48 

63.  73 
62.68 
63.  S» 
62.01 
69.  65 
60.83 

58.41              63.72 

DIFFICULTIES   ENCOUNTERED. 

A  number  of  unfavorable  conditions  was  encountered  during  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  experiments.  The  water  supply  was  from  a  stagnant 
pond.  The  water  had  been  greatly  improved  by  the  application  of  lime 
a  few  days  before  the  experiment  was  made,  but  it  was  still  black  and 
putrid,  emitting  a  nauseating  stench. 

The  strike-pan  used  was  quite  unsuitable  for  boiling  to  grain.  Its 
base  was  once  the  bottom  of  a  much  smaller  pan,  and  a  shelf  several 
inches  deep  had  been  added  to  support  the  enlarged  top.  All  the  large 
steam-coils  were  above  this  shelf,  and  it  took  eight  hours  to  bring  the 
contents  of  the  pan  above  this  point.  We  had  no  sugar-boiler,  but  my 
assistant,  Mr.  G.  L.  Spencer,  took  charge  of  the  pan  and  did  remarkably 
well. 

The  sugar  dried  slowly  in  the  centrifugals.  These  were  not  well  set 
and  could  not  be  run  at  a  very  high  speed  on  account  of  shaking. 

It  took  nearly  forty-eight  hours  with  three  machines  to  dry  the  sugar 
from  the  83.25  tons. 

This  difficulty  in  drying  was  due  either — 

(1)  To  the  process  of  diffusion;  (2)  to  the  process  of  carbonatation ; 
(3)  to  the  line  grain  produced  in  boiling;  (4)  or  to  the  poor  quality  <>t 
the  cane. 

Which  one  of  these  causes  was  most  potent  only  future  experiments 
will  decide.  I  am  not  wise  enough  to  place  it,  as  has  already  been  done 
by  some  premature  critics,  on  one  of  them  alone. 

It  seems  most  reasonable  to  suppose,  however,  thai  the   poor  quality 

of  the  cane  and  the  extreme  fineness  of  the  crystals  were  the  chief 
causes  of  the  difficulty  mentioned.    The  process  of  carbonatation  has 

been  pi  act  iced  lor  ten  years  in  Java  on  mill   juices  and  no  complaint  has 

ever  been  heard  of  difficulty  in  purging  the  Bugar.  With  the  fresh, 
ripe  canes  of  Louisiana  worked  promptly  as  they  come  from  the  field, 
and  with  the  juice  in  i  he  hands  of  an  experienced  sugar-boiler,  I  do  not 
believe  this  difficulty  would  be  encountered. 

With  the  improvements  in  the  process  of  carbonatation  already  pointed 
out  in  the  discussion  of  the  experiments  with  sorghum  even  better  re- 
sults may  be  expected. 


56 

BAGASSE. 

The  disposition  of  the  exhausted  chips  is  a  question  of  great  economic 
importance.  Three  uses  appear  to  be  possible  :  (1)  For  paper  stock; 
(2)  for  manure  ;  (3)  for  fuel. 

A  good  article  of  both  wrapping  and  print  paper  can  be  made  of  the 
fiber  of  the  cane.  The  economic  discussion  of  this  use,  however,  can 
only  be  properly  given  by  a  paper-maker. 

The  value  of  the  bagasse  for  a  manure  is  undoubtedly  great.  This 
problem  has  already  been  discussed  in  Bulletin  Xo.  8,  page  46. 

By  referring  to  the  table  of  analyses  of  the  chips  it  will  be  seen  that 
with  a  small  hand-mill  03.72  per  cent,  of  water  was  extracted  from  the 
exhausted  chips;  on  the  same  mill  the  percentage  of  extraction  of  the 
fresh  chips  was  only  50.31  per  cent.  Thus  in  similar  conditions  the 
percentage  of  extraction  with  a  given  mill  will  be  7.31  per  cent,  higher 
for  exhausted  chips  than  for  fresh  canes.  A  mill,  therefore,  which  will 
give  a  78  per  cent,  extraction  with  cane  will  give  85  per  cent,  with  ex- 
hausted chips. 

The  exhausted  chips  contained  90  per  cent,  water.  Of  this  quantity 
03  71'  per  cent,  were  extracted,  leaving  26.28  per  cent,  water  to  10  liber. 

A  given  quantity  of  the  bagasse,  therefore,  contained  7iM)  per  cent, 
water  and  27.8  per  cent,  fiber.  A  mill  which  would  give  80  per  cent. 
extraction  with  the  exhaused  chips  would  furnish  a  bagasse  composed 
of  equal  parts  of  water  and  fiber  and  this  would  prove  a  most  excellent 
fuel. 

The  power  required  to  drive  such  a  mill  would  only  be  about  one- 
third  as  great  as  for  the  same  weight  of  cane. 

The  attempts  to  dry  cane  chips  on  the  presses  used  for  beet  cuttings 
have  proved  failures,  but  the  experiments  made  at  Port  Scott  show 
that  a  properly  arranged  mill  will  solve  this  problem  at  once. 

It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  even  if  the  exhausted  chips 
be  made  as  dry  as  ordinary  mill  bagasse  they  will  not  afford  so  much 
fuel.  They  contain  little  but  the  fiber  of  the  cane,  while  mill  bagasse 
still  holds  Large  quantities  of  sugar,  whioh  itself  is  a  most  excellent  fuel. 

The  loss  of  the  bagasse  as  a  fuel  has  been  the  principal  objection  to 
the  introduction  of  diffusion  into  tropical  sugar  districts. 

It  now  remains  to  continue  these  experiments  at  some  favorable  sta- 
tion in  Louisiana.      Such  a  station  should  be  provided  with  a  lirst  class 

double  or  triple  effect  and  other  apparatus  tor  evaporating  the  juice  and 
separating  t  lie  sugar. 

It  should  also  be  a  station  purely  experimental.  The  attempt  to  cany 
on  experiments  and  manufacture  a  large  crop  of  cane  at  the  same  time 
would  only  end    in   the   disastrous   manner,  economically  considered,  of 

the  sorghum  work  just  concluded  at  Fort  Scott. 

These  experiments  can  only  be  successful  at  a  station  where  perfect 
freedom  of  action  and  plenty  of  time  are  at  the  director's  command. 


57 

It  is  the  proper  province  of  the  Department  to  demonstrate  in  Lou- 
isiana just  how  much  increase  in  sugar  yield  can  be  produced  by  the 
application  of  the  methods  named  in  the  act  making  the  appropriations. 
This*done,  and  all  the  processes  for  doing  it  accurately  pointed  out  and 
logically  discussed,  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  the  intelligent  planter  to 
determine  the  economic  value  of  the  new  methods. 

To  this  task  should  be  brought  a  careful  study  of  the  chemical  prob- 
lems involved,  and  the  best  apparatus  which  this  country  or  Europe 
can  afford*.  From  this  task  should  be  eliminated  all  prejudices  for  or 
against  any  particular  process,  and  especially  all  tendency  to  misrepre. 
sent  or  misinterpret  facts. 

At  least  the  Department  will  be  able  in  subsequent  experiments  to 
show  the  Southern  sugar-raiser  whether  the  promises  which  these  pre- 
liminary experiments  have  made  shall  really  be  performed,  or  whether 
the  practice  of  the  process  of  diffusion  for  sugar-cane  is  a  mistake  and 
the  prospects  it  has  ottered  of  aiding  the  sugar  industry  a  delusion. 

It  is  certain  that  with  the  tierce  rivalry  between  the  European  beet 
and  the  tropical  cane  industry,  producing  an  enormous  surplus  of  sugar 
and  sending  the  prices  down  almost  below  the  cost  of  production,  the 
indigenous  sugar-cane  industry  of  this  country  will  languish  unless  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  be  able  to  lead  it  into  a  life  of  renewed 
vigor. 


INDEX 


Page. 
A. 

Acidity  in  battery,  correction  of 28 

chips 22 

juices 2*2 

Albumen,  coagulation  of 29 

Analyses  of  burnt  lime 14 

carbonated  juices  before  October  1 19 

after  September  30 19 

carbon  a  rated  juices 49 

chips,  first  season  to  October  1 16 

from  October  1  to  close 16 

chips  in  closed  bottles 26 

chips  exhausted  in  bottles,  with  and  without  neutralizing 17 

diffusion  juice 46 

diffusion  j  uices 48 

to  October  1 18 

October  1  to  close 18,19 

exhausted  chips 46,48 

ti  ret  sugars 50 

gases,  by  G.  L.  Spencer 13 

juice  from  chips 31 

juice  of  chips  from  cutters 17 

limestone 14 

masse-cuite 28 

mill  juices  before  October  1 l"> 

after  September  30 15,16 

molasses 28 

press  cakes 29 

semi-sirups 21, 47, 49 

slag 14 

spent  bone-black 14 

Bnlphur juices  before  October] 19 

alter  September 30 20 

sulphured  juices    47,  19 

waste  ohips  before  October] 21 

after  September  SO 21 

iraste  iraters  before  October  1 20 

after  September  30 20 

Analysis  of  Brsl  sugars 17 

sample  sugar 89 

Appropriation 6 

Available  sugar,  meaning  of. 

calculation  of 


60 

Page. 

B. 

Ba  gasse,  disposition  of 56 

mi tist ure  in 2:> 

Battery,  acidity  in,  correction  of 2H 

inversion  in 26 

pressure  in 46 

Beet  root  cutter 9 

Belle  City  ensilage  cutter,  description  of 10 

Blades,  per  cent,  of :'».").:{<; 

Brown  coal,  filtration  with IS 

Bulletin  No.  3,  quotation  from 42 

No.  5,  quotation  from 43 

No.  8,  reference  to 56 

No.  11,  quotation  from 32,60 

Burnt  lime,  analyses  of 14 

C. 

( lanes,  analyses  of 46,  48 

character  of,  September  27  to  October  6,  inclusive 3d 

cleaning  of .• 10 

delay  in  working 26 

delivery  to  cutters L2 

deterioration  of 41 

used,  weight  of 48 

Cane-cutters,  description  of 9 

conclusions  from  experiments  with 10 

cutter,  centrifugal,  description  of 10 

Carbon  dioxide,  percentage  of,  in  the  gas 24 

reduction  of 24 

Carbonic  oxide,  formation  of 24 

odor  of 24 

toxic  effect  of 24 

Carbonate  of  lime,  use  of,  in  battery 28 

Car  lion  a  tat  ion  apparatus 12 

proposals  for 8 

cost  of 53 

employment  of 42 

experiments  with  double 28 

i  ne  reuse  of  yield  by -">^ 

i  nod  ideation  of 40,  II 

yield  of  orystallizable  sugar  by 33 

banks 13 

Carbonatated  juices,  analyses  of 47,  49 

before  October  3  W 

after  September  30 19 

ratio  sucrose  to  glucose  in 33 

(ells,  number  of  oat 36 

Centrifugals :,:* 

(hips,  analyses  <>r,  from  firs!  season  to  October  i  16 

October  1  to  close    16 

in  dosed  bottles 26 

juice  from :'i 

acidity  in ** 

direct  estimation  of  sugar  in 27 

direct  exl  racl  ion  of 80 


61 

Page. 

Chips,  exhausted  in  bottles,  with  and  withoui  neutralizing,  analyses  of 17 

from  cutters,  analyses  of  juice  of 17 

glucose,  per  hundred,  sucrose  in 'M 

moisture  in 23 

purity  of - 31 

removal  of 11 

sampling  of :>>1 

total  solids  iu '. 30,31 

weight  of,  in  each  cell 35,  •">:'■ 

Climate  and  soil,  study  of 43 

Closed  bottles,  inversion  in 2G 

Comparison  of  results  at  Fort  Scott  and  Magnolia 52 

Competition  of  beet-sugar  with  cane-sugar 57 

Colwell  Iron  Company '.» 

Cramptou,  Dr.  C.  A.,  analyses  by 13 

Crystallization,  unfavorable  condition  of 36 

Crystallizing  room,  temperature  of 36 

D. 

Data,  discussion  of 'J  4 

genera]  review  of 32 

Defective  machinery 41 

Delivering  chips  to  battery,  apparatus  for 11 

1  'illusion,  fermentation  during 9 

temperature  of , :•   15 

time  of 'J.  -41 

battery,  description  of 

cell,  capacity  of '.» 

juice,  analyses  of 46 

juices,  analyses  of I- 

to  October  1,  analyses  of 1  - 

October  1  to  close,  analyses  of 1-,  19 

September  vJ7  to  October 6  inclusive ">'.» 

juice,  treatment  of,  at  Rio  Grande 12 

juices,  rat  io  sucrose  to  glucose  in 32 

juice,  weighl  of 46,54 

Difficulties  encountered .">."» 

Dilution,  percentage  <>f .".  i 

1  trying  the  sugar, difficulty  of 

E. 

Exhausted  chips,  analyses  <»f 16,  IS 

disposition  of :;■;. :;: 

drying  of 56 

percent  a  g(    o!  BUgST  in ::i 

water  in 

Experiments,  continuance  of r, 

in  Louisiana, proper  functions  of 

Bxtra<  i ion  in  closed  bottles,  errors  of 

degree  of,  bj  experimental  mill 

r. 

Pake,  N.  J.,  analyses  by 

Pilter  presses     13 


62 

First  sugars,  analysis  of 4? 

analyses  of 50 

made,  weight  of 50 

I  ives-Lille  Company,  drawings  of 9 

Fori  Scott  Foundry 10 

G 

<  ..i-.  analyses  of 13 

sn  pply  of 18 

volume  of,  employed 25 

Gay,  Hon.  Edward  J 45 

General  conclusions 44 

Glucose,  percentage  of,  diminished  by  9 2i> 

H. 

Hallesche  Maschinenfabrik 12 

Handling  cane,  machinery  for 12 

Horizontal  cutter,  capacity  of 10 

Hughes,  H.  A.,  cane-cutter  of y 

I. 

In\  ersion,  avoidance  of,  in  battery 38 

Item,  Daily  City 45 

J. 

.Juices,  acidity  in '. 22 

K. 

Kroog,  filter-press  of 13 

L. 

Letter  of  transmission i 

Lime,  quantity  of, used. .    54 

bisulphite,  use  of,  in  battery 86 

acetate,  formation  of 89 

water,  use  of,  in  battery 86 

Lime  juice,  use  of,  in  battery 86 

Lime- kiln,  working  of 12 

Limestone,  importance  of  good  quality 21 

quantity  and  quality  of 12 

Limestones,  analyses  of 14 

Louisiana  station,  apparal as  for ; 56 

M. 

Machinery,  contract    for 0 

Magnolia  plantation,  (Comparison  with -~>n 

>t;ition   at 98 

Ifasse-cuites,  analyses  of 88 

total  freight  of  >r>l 

Helada,  weigh!  of,  obtained     36 

Mill  juices,  variations  in 86 

glnoose,  per  hundred,  sucrose  in   86 

analyses  of,  before  ( totober  1  15 

i tier  September  30 16,16 


63 

Pag.. 

Mill  juices,   index  to 15, 16 

September  27  to  October  6,  inclusive 38 

Moisture  in  cliips  and  bagasse 23 

Molasses,  analyses  of 29 

character  of 36 

P. 

Parkinson,  W.  L.  apparatus  designed  by 12 

Sugar  Company,  agreement  with 5 

Phosphoric  acid,  nse  of 41 

Portland  Beet  Sugar  Company 9,12 

Preliminary  trial 45 

Press  cakes,  analyses  of 23 

composition  of 54 

organic  matter  of 24 

moisture  in 23 

total  sugar  in 34,  35 

value  as  a  fertilizer 35 

weight  of .  23 

Proposals  of  Pusey  &  Jones  Company,  acceptance  of 7 

Pump 12 

Purity,  coefficient  of 51 

Pusey  &  Jones  Company 13 

contract  with 6 

proposals  of 7 

K. 

Railroad,  Mississippi  Valley 45 

Texas  Pacific 45 

8 

Sample  sugar,  analysis  of 22 

Sangerhaoser  Bfaschinenfabrik 13 

Second  trial 4.*< 

Semi-sirups,  analyses  of 21. 47, 49 

Sheaths,  per  cent.  <>f 35,36 

Hag,  analyses  of 11 

Sodium  phosphate,  use  oi  11 

Sorghum,  ease  of  diffusion  of :'.  I 

insoluble  matter  in :17 

improvement  of 12    13 

cane,  character  of,   at   Fori    Scott :V2 

.juice,  chemical  treatment  of 13 

Spencer,  <;.  L 12,13 

analyses  of  gases  by L3 

spent  bone-black,  analyses  of 1 1 

Strike-pan,  constant  t  ion  of 

Sucrose  obtained,  total  per  cent .  of 17 

inversion  "f.  in  the  battery 10 

inversion  of 90 

Sugar,  total  yield  of 

per  ton,  weight  ol 50 

obtained   total  per  cent,  of 

Sugars  made,  weight  <>f j7 


b4 

Pag& 

Sugar-cane,  experiments  with 45 

Sugar,  direct  estimation  of,  in  chips "J? 

character  of 36 

available  in  cane 31,32 

Sulphur  apparatus 13 

working  of 13 

juices  before  October  1,  analyses  of 1£| 

after  September  30,  analyses  of "i  i 

Sulphured  juices,  analyses  of 47,49 

ratio  sucrose  to  glucose  in 33 

Sulphurous  acid,  replacement  of,  by  phosphoric 34 

Swenson,  Prof.  M.,  filter-press  of 13 

suggestion  of 28 

T. 
Tops,  per  cent,  of 35, 36 

W. 

Waste  chips  before  October  1,  analyses  of 21 

after  September  30,  analyses  of 21 

composition  of 37 

percentage  of  water  in,  alter  pressure 37 

Waste  waters  before  October  1,  analyses  of 20 

after  September  3D.  analyses  <>f 20 

percentage  of  sugar  in 34 

Water  supply,  character  of 55 

Work,  results  of 3,"> 

Y. 

Yield,  increase  of 59 


UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 


3  1262  09216  6536 


